G Gundam Generations
by LilSukio
Summary: When Argo's son is killed by a confused young individual, Argo swears that he will get his revenge. Will Argo be able to go through with his promise to himself, or will he find himself unable? Argo x Nastasha. Revenge
1. The Final Shot

Argo held his nineteen year old son in his arms, the young man's head pressed against his chest to better hear his father's heartbeat. It was ironic that this had always been a comfort to both father and son. Little Nicolas was his only child and spoiled as such. Out of all the children of the Shuffle Alliance, Nicolas was the most obedient of the group and stood at his father's side most faithfully.

"Why?" Argo forced himself to speak. "Why did you do that, Nicolas?" He held his son's gunshot wound tighter, willing the bleeding to stop. "That was… That was supposed to be me…"

Nicolas took a painful breath, shaking his head. "Don't be ridiculous, father. Mother needs you to be with her. " By now Nastasha had fearfully fallen to her knees beside him and taken his hand.

"Hang on, Nicolas," his mother pleaded. "Just hang on. You can make it." She sobbed, burying her face into her son's knuckles. He watched her strength crumble and cry as he began to lose himself to the dark. His mother sobbed louder above him; his father shouted something at him that he could not catch. He was tired… So tired…

* * *

After searching for nearly ten minutes, Nastasha finally found her husband sitting alone in the sitting room, staring at the floor. "There you are, Argo," she said gently, crossing the distance between them to stand at his side. "The crew is worried about you. You have not cried yet…."

He looked up grimly at her, nodding. "I cannot lose him, Nastasha," he mumbled passed the lump in his throat. "I cannot lose him."

"I understand," she told him in as firm a voice as she could muster, "but you cannot keep this inside of you." She sighed, gently touching his arm. "At least see him…"

Argo shook his head. So he was being difficult… "I cannot see him, yet. Nastasha, please believe that I wish to see him, but I can't just yet… I couldn't bear seeing him like that."

Nastasha nodded and thankfully said no more for a while. Finally, when she began to play with his hair, she added, "I know you love him very much, Argo." Unable to keep this up any longer, Argo glanced around the room before she felt him pull her to him and bury his face in her stomach. It was there that she held him as he cried for the first time for his child.

* * *

"Argo!" Nastasha called, rushing in, a genuine smile on her face. She took her husband's hand tightly into her own smaller hand. "Argo, Nicolas will make it!" She smiled more when he embraced her, even in front of their crew. "He is expected to recover! I have sent Kier- the young man you saved-" when he nodded, she continued- "to watch him as he sleeps." Argo sighed with relief, kissing her quickly while the crew cheered loudly at the promise of their son's full recovery. Just as they were all starting to talk happily, three shots rang from the back room. The adults ran back to the young man's room, flinging open the door. The sight took the breath of both parents immediately…

Nicolas was lying in a comfortable position, his eyes closed in a peaceful sleep, blood splattered in several areas among his face and chest where three bullet holes filled his chest and abdomen. His face was pale and his chest remained still. Blankets that lay around him covered parts of his face. He looked like he was having a fitful rest… He was dead.

Natasha cried out and both adults darted to the young man lying still in the bed. She cried holding the bloody mess of her son while Argo pet the boy's hair back as he had done when Nicolas had been little.

"Captain Argo," one of the mourning crew members said, entering. "I'm sorry… But there is a trail of blood leading down the hall… It stops at the doorway, leading us to think the kid- Kier- jumped… The young lady is nowhere to be found, either."

At the moment, neither parent heard very much, but the name _'Kier 'was_ red-hot on Argo's mind.

**A/N: ****Okay. This is the beginning of a chapter story. It will be short. I love Argo and Nastasha, so I feel bad to write this, but…**


	2. Saying Goodbye

Argo stood over the covered body of his son. Nastasha had long since gone to bed, steeling herself against the reality that their only son was dead; their only child, no less. If it were not for the cold hand in his, Argo would not have believed it. The blanket was kept pulled down beneath Nicolas' face- his peaceful expression, at least, soothed Argo's fears of a painful death. In the giant's hand was the young man's favorite photo: a recent picture of Nicolas after one of his most fierce gundam battles with his Czar Gundam. Argo's arm was slung around his son's should, and Nicolas was grinning awkwardly at Nastasha, who was off to his side.

Argo had taken only this one object from Nicolas' abandoned room before he had told the crew that the boy's room would be closed the following afternoon. After that, he planned to lock off the room with the picture and all memories left in it. It was the only way…

* * *

After George had heard about the incident, he and his young prince, Thomas, had rushed to see the Gulskii family. Thomas had insisted that his father have Nicolas buried in Russia- Neo-Russia. When the problem was presented that Nicolas was the son of space pirates, Thomas suggested bringing up the fact that Nicolas had been the most recent Neo-Russian representative, and without being forced as his father had. It was decided then that they would use the gundam fight as their main argument, and conveniently forget that he had been shot saving his parents from a Russian prison.

And so Nicolas Aleksander Gulskii was given an honorable burial in one of the nicest Neo-Russian cemeteries. Argo and Nastasha were able to join, but only if they were watched closely. They were rather offended that the government would suggest that they would sneak away to steal at their son's funeral, but they said nothing, willing to take what they could get. George stood next to them during the funeral, and knew that he was selfish when he thanked all gods out there that his children were all alive.

Every member of the Shuffle Alliance save Sai Saici (though his younger brother and sister did) attended, as well as Nicolas' many fans, young and old alike. Crying could be heard from several people, and even Argo allowed his own miserable tears for his fallen offspring. Chibodee's daughter, Jamie, and her younger brother stood close to the de Sands as Thomas held the young woman (she was crying and would not allow Chibodee to hold her in fear that he would lose himself as well). It comforted them all to be able to look at Nicolas and know that he looked so peaceful in his eternal slumber. He would have been so happy…

* * *

After the funeral, many people stood in groups crying and talking aloud to one another. Thomas and Jamie stood together with Domon's younger brother, Vateen, Sai Saici's younger siblings, Tiso and Chen, and Argo. He did not really seem all that interested with their heartfelt apologies and their words fell on deaf ears. When Jamie, who at one time had proudly called him 'uncle' had hugged him, however, he held her close to him, imagining that she were his son. Saying goodbye to his imagination was not an easy thing to do, but in doing so, he was able to say goodbye one last time.

* * *

Talking after that became easy until the topic fell on the gundam fights, which always brought up the "accidental" death of Nicolas Gulskii, pilot of Neo-Russia's Czar Gundam. Argo was still emotionally battered on this topic and the children worried for him, despite their parents' reassurance. He had spoken to his own friends about family matters- he was going to have another kid, for one. Not in replacement, but as a means of concentrating on something else for a change- but even talk like that was much more rare than what Argo had spoke before.

There was once, and only once, that Argo messed up and spoke his suspicions of Kier, in which the children heard.

"Kier," Thomas asked. "The young man that you saved?" He scowled.

Jamie scoffed at an invisible image of the young man- no boy. He was sixteen. "Some way he chooses to repay you!"

"Jamie Crocket!" Shirley scolded, and Jamie stopped talking.

"You are right to correct her, I suppose," Thomas added boldly. "But she does speak the truth."

"Stop," Argo said firmly, his eyes glazing with suppressed sorrow. "I do not wish to talk about this anymore." He put a hand on his head, leaning on the wall for support.

"Forgive me," Thomas said, truly ashamed of himself. "I did cross a terrible line this time." Argo nodded, saying nothing, serving to worry the children more.

"I do not know this Kier kid," Jamie finally spoke up, ignoring the glower of her now angry parents, "but when I find him, I'll make him pay!"

"No," Argo said suddenly, yanking off his large dress coat. "Revenge is not something a child should think about. "

"Good thing I'm eighteen," she smirked, pulling back her long navy hair. Thomas cleared his throat and looked away, his face burning dark red; Jamie ignored him. "I'm not a child anymore and this is no time to act like it. I don't know about any of you, but I can't just sit around after something like this is labeled as an accident."

"I agree," Thomas spoke, though everybody already knew that it was only out of love for the stubborn woman. He would have thought about it better if not for her involvement.

"Jamie, let Argo deal with this. It's bad enough that he's gotta go without… That he has to think about these things," Chibodee scolded. She didn't care, and he knew it. But damnit! That was his kid, and he'd be _damned_ if he let anything happen to her.

"Argo," Jamie nearly whispered, "either you can help us, or you may not want to, but either way, we are all going." He vaguely wondered if she meant that she would force them, but when he saw the children step into a group with determination on their faces, he knew right then that they were all going to go. Panicked cries and harsh words from their parents did nothing to change their mind, and he knew what he had to do. This would be Argo's only chance and he couldn't let it pass. If the space police wanted to catch him after he finished, fine. He would have nothing left to say to them. Argo Gulskii needed to kill Kier in order to get his revenge, and so be it. He would have his revenge, he swore to himself.

**A/N:** **Finally done with the second chapter. I really do feel bad for Argo and Nastasha now, but I can't stop D:**

_**Edit: **_** I have changed the age of Jamie. Since she was twenty-three, and I had to change Thomas' age to nineteen (so that his mother would be older than 14 when she gave birth to him), I wanted Jamie to be actually able to marry him. However, that would now make them just like each other. **


	3. Information

"There's got to be another way," Nastasha had cried out when she had learned of Argo's plan. The other adults and backed out of it and returned home, unwilling to damage their countries' names with something that was none of their business, though they did apologize once more. "Argo, are you listening to me?"

Argo was busy readying his Bolt Gundam, the other children behind him watching. Casting a quick glance to the Czar Gundam, he eyed the children. "Will you take Czar Gundam out to fight…?" he asked gently, unsure of how he should feel about his deceased son's beloved gundam being used. Much to his relief, however, all the children shared once glance and shook their heads.

"The Czar Gundam is now the only object that holds Nicolas' very memory. Using it for such a thing as revenge would destroy that memory," Thomas informed, only too willing to explain the choice the children had made.

Jamie nodded in the young man's direction, looking away. "Instead," she added, "Tiso will ride with Chen to Neo-Egypt; I will ride with Thomas to Neo-France, where the man that fired the shot that first wounded Nicolas; Vateen with likely ride off on his own to Earth to search around there… His main focus will more than likely be in Scotland. It's up to you where you will go, Uncle Argo…"

Argo nodded, softening his glance at the children- no. They were men and women, now. They had grown over the years, more than physically. "Alright," he answered, stepping up to climb onto the gundam.

"Argo," Nastasha cried, grabbing his arm. "Haven't you heard a word that I said? You cannot do this!" She watched him stop and turn to her, an expression of concern on his face.

"Nastasha," he murmured. "I need you to stay and watch my crew. " He held her close to him for a few moments.

"No, Argo." She shook her head desperately. "I need you here with me right now. I _need_ you here…"

"This is something I need to do… For me," he told her. "Kier killed my son, Nastasha; I cannot forgive this."  
"Suppose you do find and kill him," she pleaded him, gripping his arm tighter. "What will you do then? If the space police find you, they will take you and place you back into prison. You know this, Argo."

Argo nodded. "It's something that I must do, Nastasha. Please understand."

"Don't go, Argo," she begged. "I have already lost Nicolas…. Do not do this to me…"

Argo released his hold on the smaller woman, brushing one hand on her face. "I cannot die. Not now when my son's memory runs fresh through my mind." He shook his head. "I will return."

With that, he climbed onto his gundam, following the children out into space. Nastasha was left alone to cry to herself about everything that had happened. "Why?" she asked the air before dragging herself to her husband's men.

* * *

They had not made it very far when they separated into different directions. Thomas and Jamie left for Neo-France, Vateen for Earth, Tiso and Chen to Neo-Egypt, and Argo left for his own Neo-Russia. As they split up heading to their own destinations, each gave a quick wave of their hands; Argo motioned back to his ship, and each understood that the ship was where they were to meet up.

* * *

When Jamie and Thomas arrived in Neo-France, George, Marie, and Fleur rushed out to greet him. After several unwanted embraces between Thomas, Jamie, and his parents, they were finally able to talk about the current situation. Thomas' parents did not take well to their plans.

"Thomas," George pleaded with the young man, "please do not be so brash. I raised you to think more before getting caught up in such things. This revenge of yours will not bring Nicolas back; he is gone."

Thomas nodded. "He is indeed dead. However, that does not mean that I must simply forget that one of my friends was murdered in his sleep. Nay, I'll not forget that…"

"But if you—"

"Sorry to hafta say this, Georgie, but we aren't you," Jamie told him firmly. "We're adults, now, so our actions are purely up to us. This is something that we won't just forgive and give up on. Kier will pay for all he has done."

George looked at each of the children in panic. "Please take tonight to think this through. You can do that, at least, for our sake." He was quiet a long while before he added, "We worry about you because we love you children… All of you."

Jamie grinned, slinging an arm around George's shoulders. "Now, now, Georgie. Your worrying is all in vain, 'cause this happens to be somethin' that we 'children' can do easily if we're careful enough!"

George sighed, mumbling something that sounded to Jamie like, "That is why I worry."

* * *

Tiso and Chen landed in Neo-Egypt in mid-afternoon, just in time for the heat to start dying down. At first they searched around for something they knew they would not find there, but just as they were about to quit and head somewhere else, one of the girls in the crowd caught their attention. It was Eva, Kier's younger sister, but only his half sister.

The young woman had light brown hair tied back in a rather large ribbon. Her steps were marked by two bells that she had tied into the ribbon. Her clothes were that of the New Nations, a couple of unmarked islands (or so the New Nations claimed. New Zealand had become one of these islands against the public's will) that people of various nations had taken over and started to run as their own "nation." Her boots came up to her knees and she kept a belt tied around her waist. She had such pretty blue eyes and beautiful pale skin…

"Eva!" Chen called, dashing out in front of her. He quickly apologized when she cried out, dropping her basket of vegetables.

"Oh," she sighed, covering her chest. "You scared me…"

"What are you doing here, Eva?" Tiso asked, bending down to start picking up the fallen food.

"What am I doing here?" Eva looked confused at them a moment before she sighed. "I guess you don't know, huh? My uncle lives here." After Chen and Tiso helped her pick up the vegetables, they brushed themselves off, helping Eva stand as well.

"We have some questions." Chen watched her carefully to mark anything at all strange about her when he spoke. "We have to ask about Kier."

Eva gasped, looking worried. She grasped Chen's hand. "No! I can't talk about it!"

Tiso stepped forward. "Then you know what your brother did?"

Eva nodded slowly, fear on her face and in her eyes. "I… I saw it. But he… You can't blame him. Mother never loved him properly!"

Chen grabbed her shoulders delicately; he did not want to hurt her. "So he did kill Nicolas Gulskii?"

Eva sank to her knees uttering a weak cry. "I… I never wanted this to happen… He just… I tried to stop him, but he told me that he was tired of seeing Nicolas loved when he had not been. He said that it would be better if Mr. Argo and Mrs. Nastasha just forgot about him. He said… He said that it was for me, as well."

Chen pulled her up. "Sorry, Eva, but we need you on this mission. You have to come with us to find your brother…"

Eva attempted to pull away in vain. "You can't have me help you to harm my own big brother. I love him… I… I just can't…" She sobbed, grasping Chen's arm, but Chen ignored it; he was never one to have a heart where others did.

"Chen," Tiso growled, "Let Eva up."

Chen muttered darkly, but released the crying young woman at his older twin's command. "Whatever," he huffed.

Tiso offered her hand to Eva, which the girl took. For a fourteen year old girl, she was quite strong to know what her brother had done and still love him enough to refuse any information to those trying to capture him. "Can you stand?" At the nod, she pulled Eva from the ground and helped hold her up. "We do need you to come along, even if you can't help us out much, okay?"

Eva nodded. "I am so sorry…"

Tiso nodded, once to Eva and once to Chen. After exchanging quick glances, the three started back off for the Dragon Gundam.

* * *

Vateen was having quite the time in Scotland. Nobody was willing to share information on Kier Adair Barclay; either that or they just did not know. As it was, Vateen could tell by their reactions that Kier's father was not very liked- he had be rather hated. All the information that he could collect was that Kier and Eva's father had left and started the New Nations colony, which was not really a colony to begin with. It was all quite pathetic from what Vateen understood.

One elderly man spoke of him as a demonic figure, which was quite odd when Vateen had found out that the elderly man was Kier's grandfather.

"What did he do that has everyone angry with him," Vateen had asked, uninterested, really. However, his mind was changed with the variety of cruel stories he heard.

"He lied many times and had many young men killed by those same lies!"

"When we were kids he ran away with my little brother. I never saw my brother again, but there was no evidence until later."

"He threatened me as children and pushed me off the docks."

"He was nothing but a bully and picked on everyone. He even droved his own mother insane!"

The most interesting story had to be when Vateen had heard of one of the man's biggest stunts. He had apparently turned over 300 children against their parents. Just over 250 children later returned home, but the rest had never been found. One of the men who had been involved told his story very clearly, not failing to mention that sometimes, some of the children were drug away if they disobeyed. Still, most of those children had been found in other countries, but even then, there were that handful of kids never found, never seen again. It had Vateen's head spinning in no time and questions… So many questions…

* * *

Argo wound up in Neo-Russia later that day. The colonies were nice, but he could not have cared less if he had really tried. His mission was sight-seeing. He asked so many people about Kier, but nobody knew a thing about him. Not a single person admitted to knowing. Funny, Argo was positive that Kier had said his mother was from Neo-Russia. But what was her name again…? Salene… Sa… Sa… Sa…

No! That was right! He clearly remembered Kier saying that his mother was born in Neo-Russia and given the name Galina. Galina Adelaide.

Argo received a better outcome when he asked about her. Most knew her as a sweet, sickly girl who had never been able to give enough. She had died when her son was born, however, and had been greatly mourned by her parents. Her parents had given her the best funeral they could afford and had turned the young woman's husband down when he had attempted to attend. They hated him, blaming him for their loss and the child, as well. The child was never welcomed by his mother's parents, and they had died over three years ago.

If it had not been for Argo's deep hatred for Kier, he just might have found him and offered him a permanent place in his crew. He did feel a bit sorry, but that was quickly shoved to the back of his mind. He would remember it when he achieved his vengeance and that would have to be enough. For now, his information stage was complete to the point that the people were just repeating themselves.

He set off once more for his ship, where the others would be arriving once more.

**A/N:**** It's a little short, but I can't really help that. I'm watching G Gundam (AGAIN) to help me get the personalities (because I fail). I will not be able to get on and/or post a chapter tomorrow.**


	4. Struggle

The trip around the colonies took several days, then several more for Vateen's trip to earth. By that time, all had returned to Argo's ship except for Thomas and Jamie. When it was found out some days later that Thomas and Jamie had been thrown into a Neo-French prison, Argo became very upset. Those children were in there for him and apparently holding out strongly. Vateen was sent to check it out and returned in just hours.

"According to the news, Thomas was thrown into the brig for 'snooping in matters unrelated to him' and 'treason against the Neo-France colonies.'" He informed them, much to everyone's displeasure.

"How can they say that?" Tiso demanded her fiancé, who shrugged.

"I'm just telling you what I heard," Vateen said, shoving his hands into his pockets. For being the goof of the group, he had done serious growing up for this matter, but they were sure he would come back after the total shock finally faded within him.

"Well, we can't just stand here and do nothing," Chen told them, clenching a fist in anger. "I'll go to the French colony and see what I can do."

"No," Argo told him, glancing over as Nastasha entered the room. "If you go you'll only be arrested and thrown into prison with them. This we must leave to this George and his wife. They will not let him sit in prison like that."

"Yeah, but I don't trust them," Tiso grit out. "They could have said something before he was sent to prison, but they let him go anyway. If that's the way it is, then they should not even be able to say that they are his parents!"

"That is not true," Nastasha told them, having had enough. "Thomas' grandfather is still the king of Neo-France, and even if it is for the wrong reasons, this may teach him a lesson about being so rash."

Tiso stopped, forcing herself to calm down. As much as she hated to say it, Nastasha was right. "I know, but…"

"Heh." Vateen crossed his arms, looking down to earth. "Anyway, I managed to get information on Kier's father, not Kier himself. " Both Nastasha and Argo looked to him, remaining quiet even as the young man looked at them again. "It seems he did a lot of stupid things that have people angry with him, including starting a revolt with children against their parents. They refused to speak of Kier."

Argo looked to Eva, who had cried herself to sleep on a nearby sofa. He felt sorry for the young girl for witnessing the entire scene of her brother killing… That did not matter.

"We didn't find anything else," Tiso informed the large man, as if reading his thoughts. It was a subject changer, at least.

"Neo-Australia's pilot, Joshua, says that Kier used to go to the Neo-Boarding School with us, and that he was mostly quiet, but that he had picked on Nicolas more than once. It seems that he's hated Nicolas longer than most of us knew," Vateen said, his eyes once more following the landmasses on earth.

Chen thought a moment. "That's right! I remember Kier, now. He was that bully who did everything his father told him, too. But that was the only reason he was a bully; I remember that he always apologized after he was done beating his victim up, but only so that they could hear. If they brought it back up, he denied it and bullied them again."

Tiso nodded. "He was annoying during gundam practice… It got so bad that we had to constantly be around Nicolas to save him." She laughed sadly. "He had so many phobias back then…"

Argo cleared his throat, looking away. The children did the same, turning back to the conversation before.

"I asked Josh to come help us," Vateen told them, "and he will. He won't fight unless he absolutely has to. He said that he didn't see the shooting, and so it's none o' his business."

"That's a smart boy," Nastasha commented lightly, looking at the children to try and give them the hint. None of them paid any attention; she sighed.

"What now," Tiso wondered aloud.

* * *

Thomas watched the man bring his food and water, setting them on the floor in front of him. He was dirty, tired and irritable. Never in his life had he been treated as a criminal, and he certainly did not envy those people who really were guilty of crimes.

"Drink up, your highness," the guard mocked, standing again to take his leave.

"Show more respect to your prince," Thomas sniffed, holding his head upright.

"Of course," the man snarled in harsh laughter. "For you and your princess." He motioned to the prison food at the young man's feet.

Thomas kicked it over. "I refuse to eat such disgusting food served to me by those jealous of my own lot in life."

The man, who had had quite enough, unlocked the door and began beating the former crowned prince for his mouth. Thomas sucked in a breath, allowing himself to be beaten. He would say or do nothing so that his father would punish the man later. He glanced up, checking the name tag once before being kicked in the face. He refused to give the man the pleasure of hearing him scream out in pain. '_Avenall Audric_' it said. He would store that into his memory….

* * *

It was not much longer when an enraged Chibodee and Shirley Crocket raced in to take their daughter back. George fought on their behalf, demanding that his son be released, as well. Maria-Louise swore that she would get her son out, even if charged with treason herself. George did not like that idea, but he did not need say that when the king growled, handing the children over to their parents.

"Jamie," Shirley sighed, holding the beaten woman tightly. "Come on, Jamie. Dad and I will take you home."

"No," Jamie grit out. "I am not done with my job. Not yet…"

"Give it up, Jam," Chibodee sighed, using his old nickname for her. One of his hands rested on the shoulders of his seven year old son, Bastien. "Just give Argo time to calm down. Quit stirring up trouble in his tired mind."

Jamie shook her head. "I have made up my mind."

* * *

Thomas watched her while his parents petted his hair, his face, and everything else they could to show gratitude that their son was safe-- beaten and dishonored by those in charge of the prisons, but alive.

"Avenall Audric," he muttered, finally turning to his parents. "I want him captured and given a taste of his own treatment." He turned, ignoring protests, and walked quickly to Jamie. Brushing off the glares of her parents, he whispered into her ear.

"Are you sure," Jamie gasped.

Thomas nodded. "Why else would he have done this?"

Jamie looked down, clearly in shocked. "I never would have thought…"

Chibodee grabbed his daughter's arm. "C'mon. You need to come with us back to Neo-America, where I can keep an eye on you."

Jamie jerked free. "We need to solve this quickly," she sputtered, following Thomas out the side door.

**A/N:**** I actually managed to get a chapter done today! YAY! **

**I need to try and keep up writing one chapter per day, even if they are really short. So far, however, I'm annoying myself with (what seems like to me) clichés… Ah, well…**

**Enjoy! **


	5. Savior

After Thomas and Jamie had looked around and finally found the old king of France, Thomas cornered him angrily. "You are the one who ordered that man to shoot Nicolas. That is why you locked Jamie and myself up in your prison: to keep us from revealing that you are the real traitor!"

The king shook his head sympathetically at his grandson. "You have lost your mind, boy."

"Have I?" Thomas spat.

"You're an evil, twisted little man," Jamie growled just as Chibodee, George, and Shirley entered the room.

"Thomas!" George called to the young man, who had the king pinned to the wall by his suit. "Let go of your grandfather. You mustn't do this!"

"But Father--!" the young man growled, releasing the king anyway. "He is up to no good—he is the man who ordered Nicolas to be killed."

George startled, looking to the old king, then back to his son. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "What proof?"

"What?"

"What proof do you have, Thomas? We cannot act on words alone."

"How can you accuse me?" the king huffed, shoving his grandson off of him. He looked to the door when Maria-Louise came in, latching onto George's arm. "What reason would I have to kill a child?"

Maria-Louise gasped. "Who would say such a thing like that, Daddy?" When no one answered, the king looked to Thomas, and she knew. "Thomas, why would you say such things?"

Thomas huffed. "If it is not true, then why would he have locked us up? Also, the man who first shot Nicolas Gulskii was a French soldier. What else would I have believed? However, if I cross out the fact that the man may have simply said to have been ordered, then that would leave grandfather innocent, and that man would be guilty. But then… Where would the soldier have gotten a signed notice with the Royal Seal on it?"

"What?" George stepped closer, eying his father-in-law. "Why…?"

"Do not accuse me of something I have not done," the king hissed. He looked to Maria-Louise. "You do not really think that I would order such a thing, Maria-Louise…"

The woman shook her head. "A seal?" She relaxed a little when George held her.

"That's just ridiculous!" Chibodee growled. "You used my little girl-- and your own grandson-- to try and cover up your orders to kill Nicolas—"

"I never ordered anyone to be killed!" the king told them again. "Especially not a fifteen year old child."

"Nineteen," Jamie corrected him, being drawn back by her father. She leaned against him, unable to keep supporting herself after the rush of adrenaline had faded. She was comforted to know that her father would still hold her.

* * *

Argo had been talking to the children a while longer than he had meant, but they had mostly finished. They stood around quietly, Nastasha in the forty-six year old man's arms. Currently, Argo stood watching space outside of his window. He had no real interest in anything, and had his son been alive, he would probably have been talking to him and enjoying himself and his family.

He was rather zoned out until he caught sight of a gundam fast approaching. "Nastasha," he said, releasing her quickly, "go— Vateen… Is that…?"

Vateen took his spot beside the big man, looking out, and nodded. "That's Nightmare Gundam—Neo-Australia's own Joshua Saben." He turned away heading to the door. "You can open your doors; I invited him. He can help us find Kier, I know it."

Argo nodded, not really liking that the young man invited another to his ship, but at the same time willing to take any chances, if only to avenge his only child…

When Joshua was brought onto the ship, he immediately caught eyes with Argo. He was not as tall as Argo, but the last they had seen each other, the boy had been only seven and fighting against his will in a gundam (Neo-Australia had not cared to lose an orphan child; but much to their displeasure he had survived, being taken out by Chibodee, who had winded him with a simple wrestling move and held him down). He had golden light brown hair with light green eyes. He still had his mobile suit on and a small sucker stuck out of his mouth. His eyes were still uncaring and ever bored, same as the last time Argo had saw him with a little more life in them.

"You called," he stated, looking uninterested at Vateen.

Vateen nodded, not feeling social at the moment, but he had to if he wished to help Argo…

"Who would have thought that I would have to call on Nicolas' own savior to help us…?" Vateen stated idly.

Joshua scoffed at him, a little of the old child in him returning. "Yeah… Who would have thought…?"

**A/N:**** A quick chapter for today. No time; sis wants on. **

**Now that they have called on Joshua, a lonely little Neo-Australian orphan, to help them, what will come of this vengeance the group has sworn to get? Will Joshua be just the thing to help them in their battle?**

**Enjoy!**


	6. For Jamie

"We need your help," Vateen said, serious this time.

"That's what I heard," Joshua told him, looking around him. "Nice place."

Vateen said nothing to this, placing an arm around Joshua's shoulder, who was a bit taller than him. He led him around the corner, nodding to Chen who took his place beside Nastasha and Argo to explain to them what was going on.

* * *

"I will not fight unless the occasion really calls for it," Joshua told Vateen when they rounded the corner. "I was not there—"

"I know," Vateen told him irritably. "But onto a more current situation, I need your help with Jamie and Thomas." Vateen smirked, having seen Joshua twitch at the name 'Jamie.' He had loved her since her father had saved the Neo-Australian orphans by paying for them to go to the Neo-Boarding School. Of course, it had been his own pocket money, and the family had been forced to tighten their belts and deal with it for the year, but Jamie had thanked her father and became friends with Joshua after that. "Jamie's been put into a French prison. So has Thomas."

Josh nodded. "Yeah. I'm not gonna leave Jamie Crocket to rot away in prison…"

Vateen smirked. "Only Jamie?" Josh grumbled and Vateen laughed softly. "I understand. You are upset with Thomas because he is winning Jamie's affection, correct?"

"Not like it matters. That's not what I'm here for."

"Good thing, Josh."

They were quiet for a very long time. When they passed chatting pirates of the ship, the older men quit talking quickly, nodding to the young pilots. There was an air of bitterness and awkwardness around each of them, but that was not enough to stop the pilots, who simply walked on.

When they turned another corner, Vateen led Josh into a separate room, closing the door behind him. "I need you to go to Neo-France," he told his old friend, "and rescue both of them. If we don't have Thomas _and_ Jamie, and you refuse to fight, we might as well just quit now."

"_Really_?"

"Josh…" Vateen shook his head, going to the window. "This is serious. If you won't do it for the rest of us, do it for Jamie. This was her idea…"

Josh stopped. "Low blow," he grumbled, "bringing her into all this."

"If that's how I gotta put it to get you to help, then that's what I'm gonna say," he told the other man, leaning on the table under the window. "This isn't for us, anymore, Josh. It's for Nicolas. He would have done the same."

Josh turned from Vateen, finding a chair and sitting. "And what makes you think that I can help you? Even when you asked me in boarding school, I sat back and watched; never more. How do you know that I won't just sit back and watch?"

Vateen smiled sadly turning back. He felt bad, but he had to. "Because Jamie is involved, and if she died, you would never be able to forgive yourself."

Josh said nothing more for several long minutes. When he finally did, he sighed, saying, "I'm in… But not for you, for Jamie."

* * *

By the time Jamie had limped out with Thomas holding her up, the sky had started to turn a dark pink, and most of Neo-France was returning to their homes for the night. Thomas led her quite gently to his room, laying her down onto his bed. "There. Rest," he told her, and went to find new clothes for the both of them. When he came back, he had some of his old clothes for Jamie, which included an old white shirt that tied in the front with black pants that were baggy on her tiny frame. He brought his own recent clothes for himself: another white shirt, but this one was silk, something Jamie would never be able to stand (she had once told him that it made her feel too gaudy) and a white pair of trousers to go with his choice of dress. They showered separately and dressed without as much as a word.

"Hard day," Jamie mumbled, laying a blanker out on the floor and lying down on it. She smiled at him; he grumbled in response, turning a brilliant red. Jamie sighed, settling back when he became too uncomfortable, and turned away from him, staring at the floor.

"I heard that little Eva has an uncle who lives in Neo-Egypt," she told him as he shifted in bed. "I don't know his name, but apparently he and his sister were from Neo-Russia… Funny, huh, that some of Kier's own family are from Neo-Russia, and yet he chose to kill a young Neo-Russian pilot…" Thomas shifted again.

"I… Am not comfortable sleeping on this topic," he told her gently, hissing as he wound up wrong on a bruise, and shifted again. He sunk into his mattress, releasing a breath of air, and groaned in discomfort, grumbling about the prison guards. A soft knock on his door let him know that his father arrived, but he was too tired to get up. Instead, he feigned sleep, and Jamie did much the same. Neither was willing to move and agitate their sore muscles further. When they heard the adults talk a while, then leave, they relaxed again, knowing that they would not be bothered again until morning.

"'M tired," Jamie mumbled, playing with the blankets under her. She could hear his soft breathing above her, little snores escaping his mouth every now and then causing Jamie to snort in laughter. It seemed like he had fallen asleep…

"Then sleep," he grumbled, rustling in his blankets. "I've half a mind to turn you away to a guest room where you_ will_ be bothered hourly by the maids and servants running about."

Jamie smiled sweetly, turning to face him and his beautiful blue eyes—which were rather glaring at her. "Would you?"

He groaned, shutting his eyes. "Good_night_," he said, turning away, and she laughed.

**A/N:**** Ahahahah! This is my daily chapter for today. Kind of rushed, but you know, I couldn't really get on until eight PM, so I'll have to ask you to just go with it…. Please?**

**Please read and review.**

**ENJOY!**


	7. The 'King' of France

Josh and Vateen landed in Neo-France a day and a half later to find that Jamie and Thomas had already been released. As it was, they were brought to the king by two officers who had caught them for "disturbing the peace" when they had landed their gundams, startling several nearby people. Jamie had been surprised to see Josh, and had immediately gone to embrace him. Thomas was not happy.

"Jamie," Josh smiled, rubbing her back. He pulled away as Thomas cleared his throat, and stopped smiling once again. "It's good to see you again."

Jamie nodded. "Yeah. It's been a long time, Joshua _Saben_."

Vateen chocked. "What a welcoming, huh, bud?"

Jamie grinned, putting an arm on Josh's shoulder comfortably. "Course! It was from me, so it's gotta be good!."

"That is not true," Thomas huffed. "Most of us get horrid welcomes."

Vateen grumbled to himself a moment. "Great, so the rest of us didn't matter?"

Josh played like he was thinking hard about his answer, finishing his act with a firm, "no."

"Whatever," Vateen sighed. "If we're done here, Argo, Tiso, and Chen are waiting for us back at the ship."

Jamie took her arm from Josh's shoulder, looking quite serious as she did so. "Right. We have some information for them, too. Nastasha used to work as an official for the Russian government before she married Argo, right?"

"Something like that," George cut in, looking to his son nervously. He knew that the boy would leave him again. No… Not a boy; he had grown into a fine young man…

"'Kay," Jamie grinned. "She can help us with the 'king' of France. Thomas nodded, stepping away from his nervous parents.

* * *

Argo sat in his chair, watching his crew as they worked. Normally, he would have been giving commands by now. However, his son would have been at his side on a normal day, watching his father command the pirates and chatting proudly with both of his parents. That or he would have been with the Neo-Russian government, withholding his part of an old bargain to keep the pirates safe: a deal that promised the safety of his parents (even if captured) in return for his services as the Neo-Russian gundam fighter.

"Argo," Nastasha called, sounding as if it were her third or fourth time calling him. She looked understandingly at him when he looked up at her.

"I'm sorry," he started, but did not finish when Nastasha's hand cupped his face. He leaned into the touch, barely hearing her as she spoke again.

"You should go to bed." She would not take excuses from the man, covering his mouth when he tried. "Go to sleep. You have a lot on your mind right now, and I know that you have not been coming to bed at night."

He said nothing, nodding at her. She knew him well by now, and perhaps she was not getting enough sleep either, but it unnerved her to see him suffer like this. Was it his fault? Was it that she could not sleep without him? And he had been trying to keep from upsetting her…

He removed her hand from his mouth with his own, getting up from his chair. "I will go to sleep, then," he informed his wife and crew gently.

Nastasha smiled gently, relieved that he would finally go to sleep after what had been happening. "Very well."

* * *

"No, brother!" Fleur cried, grasping her big brother's arm to stop him from leaving. "You cannot go; you've only just got back!"

Thomas smiled sweetly at his little sister. "I will come back after my current mission is over, Fleur. Count the days until my return, will you?"

Fleur sniffled, but released him. "And you will come back?" Again he nodded. "Then I shall count the days, big brother…"

**A/N:**** No time to explain. Got to go, now! D:**


	8. If Only There Was a Way

The group of four arrived back at the ship to find that Argo had gone to sleep. Not wanting to wake the giant (each had noticed the lines under his eyes from depression and lack of sleep quite easily), they began to make plans on their own. Nastasha had attended their meeting in place of her husband, though they all knew her too well—she had joined because each of them had been like family to the Gulskiis from the very beginning. She could not possibly sleep if they died, as well.

"It would have to be a swift blow," Chen was saying to the group. "If we can take out his father, then Kier will be easy to deal with."

"No!"

"Eva, what are you doing here," Vateen growled, taking a step closer to her. She startled backing up, and he stopped, cocking his head in the silent question 'what?'

"Y-you cannot hurt my brother," she told them, rushing in, now. "And even if you tried, Kier would not let you harm father. He still needs father to complete his project, you see. So, it would be pointless—Father is trapped!"

The small group looked at one another in silent conference for only a moment. In that amount of time, they were able to decide.

"Alright," Josh said, clearly willing to do anything at this point. "We'll take you with us."

Eva gasped. "No… N-no, please. I cannot watch you harm them, even if they are not nice people. " She backed away, slowly. Nastasha frowned at the girl, looking quite sympathetic for her. Josh stepped in before she could say anything.

"Don't have a choice," he informed her lazily. "We have to locate the hideout before anything else happens. Obviously they wouldn't be dumb enough to stick their base _in_ the New Nations."

"Why," Vateen started, reverting back to his old self, "do they still call themselves the 'New Nations?' They've been around since we were little kids…"

Nastasha smirked, shaking her head at him. He had a point, but what a time to bring it up. "Perhaps they simple do not wish to name it," she told him. She really didn't know either.

Vateen nodded, deep in thought. "Well, we stumbled on a lot of underground tunnels when we were kids—"

"When you would run away in your fathers' gundams? Brothers in others' cases?"

"U-um…" Vateen nodded again, looking awkward. He shook his head to rid himself of the uncomfortable feeling. "W-well, anyway. There were underground tunnels, and they did look like they were just being built at the time. Maybe if we try those tunnels… "

Josh watched him, making a sound of approval in the back of his throat. He reached out and grabbed Eva, who had stopped to listen to Vateen talk and glare at him, startling her. "That sounds logical. You'll hafta lead since I wasn't around at that time."

"It was shockingly obvious," Thomas told him, crossing his arms delicately over his chest. He ignored Jamie's snort of laughter as he continued on. "In fact, the area we had stumbled on was so obvious, that others would not have thought to look in such places. Although, the tunnels _did_ save our lives when we were nearly killed by the New Nations' attempts to fight us."

Josh sighed, shaking his head. "Doesn't sound like a very good plan. And if they did plant bases like that around, then we'd still hafta head out to find their exact locations—if they planted bases around like that, then there would hafta be one real base, and other false bases."

Nastasha tilted her head, clearly amused. "My, my! You are quite talented in tactics, aren't you?"

Josh looked uncomfortably at her. "I guess so. I was an orphan, which put me up for military tactics." He looked rather grim about the whole situation, but also proud of himself. "Was never as good as Nicolas…" he mumbled.

Nastasha became quiet, watching the boy with a deep understand that the other children could not read.

Josh shook his head again. "Never mind," he sighed. "C'mon." He led Eva out, putting an unsure hand on her shoulder as she cried.

Vateen looked to the others, sharing a quick thought. "We'll head out in the morning," he told them.

"For what?" Nastasha asked, quickly snapping from her thoughts.

"To find that base. We'll use a decoy to draw them out." He looked at Thomas quietly. "You'll have to go, Thomas. If the rest of our gundams are destroyed—"

"We're screwed," Jamie put in. Thomas looked at her, clearly offended by her vulgar language.

"You cannot throw away your lives so quickly," she told them, looking first to Vateen, then to Thomas. Both boys looked down, listening, but at the same time, not listening to her. "What would your parents think?"

"Tell father to take good care of them, "Thomas told her quietly. "I mean Mother and Fleur, of course. At this point," he hurried on, cutting Nastasha from what she intended to say, "we have no choice. We all swore revenge, and will not quit so easily."

Vateen stepped forward, serious about his decision. "I know that you're worried, but we have no choice, anymore. Let Argo sleep through the morning, then wake him up at around noon if we have not reported back to you. "

"And make sure also to inform our parents if we don't report." Jamie told her, starting to leave. "They could help us if we need it."

Nastasha was speechless. Unless she did something, five young adults were going to get themselves killed. She would inform their parents, alright. But she would inform them just as soon as the children retreated to the beds Argo lent to them. She could not truly respect herself if she did not…

"Goodnight," Thomas told her, smiling pleasantly as he left. Vateen followed with a grunt as his parting.

Nastasha sighed, sinking into a nearby pale cream sitting chair, her hands covering her face. This was too much too fast. She could not possibly let them go, and yet if they did, she could not follow. Argo would never agree to taking the risk of losing her as well.

She stood, going into the communications room and started to contact each of the parents. Surely they would drop their duties long enough to save the lives of their children…

* * *

Josh was wondering the halls of the ship by himself, having fallen deep into thought. He had gotten lost while looking around, so thinking was his next best option. If he could come up with a good, _safe_ plot to lead the group into finding and infiltrating the New Nations' main base, he would have completed his goal; hopefully he would also find a way to finish without bloodshed of anyone… Even Kier. That, however, did not seem likely—the boy had made quite a few "friends" when he had killed Nicolas Gulskii. Especially Argo, whom even Joshua would not have wanted to have to fight if given the choice.

He turned a corner, looking briefly around him for familiar surroundings, before going back to his thoughts when he could find none.

Perhaps if he…? No. That would result in losing one, if not, two of his comrades. That would not be an option. Besides, that would also risk major damage to his Nightmare Gundam, and he could not really have that, either. If Nightmare Gundam was damaged, then Neo-Australia would know that he had left for this sort of thing. Since they had not given the orders, the officials could easily twist his words into something new and count treason against him.

He turned another corner, looking around as he had before. This time, there still was no familiar surroundings, but he could clearly hear a female voice inside the voice ahead of him. But what would anyone be doing up at an hour like this…? Unless…

This was dangerous—if she informed the Neo-Australian officials—he could not risk it. Slinging the door open, he witnessed Nastasha, startled and pale, at the communications screen. It was Chibodee Crocket.

"What are you doing out of bed," she sighed, placing a hand over her racing heart.

"Hey, you!" Chibodee growled. "Are you the one coming up with all this?"

Josh shook his head frantically. "I'll explain in a minute," he told the floating head. "Please tell me that Neo-Australia is uninformed of this."

"I…" Nastasha watched him with mild shock for a moment. She shook her head. "You aren't the one I'm worried about, Joshua. You would plan out your situation beforehand, correct?"

Josh looked at her with genuine confusion. "Of course. Why wouldn't I? If this mission is to succeed, measures hafta be taken to ensure both the safety of our fighters and steps to retreat should things go wrong. I'm still in the planning stage… Why?"

"Earlier, after you left with Eva, Vateen, Thomas, and Jamie came to their conclusion," Nastasha explained, gripping the chair in front of her. "They have decided that Thomas will act as a decoy to uncover where the base is located."

"What?" Josh took a breath, leaning on the wall, an unusual look of fear crossing his face. "If they go by that, the New Nations would consider their goal and set up a different means of defense. Of course, they wouldn't possibly miss the chance of taking out Thomas' gundam—it is one of our fastest…"

Nastasha smirked. "You've thought over this carefully, haven't you?"

"Now, you listen here," Chibodee cried out over the screen. "Jamie is my only little girl, and if she is hurt—"

"If she listens to me and does what I say, she shouldn't be hurt," Josh argued, cutting the older man off. "I don't want her involved—I don't want _any_ of the girls involved." He groaned. "I… Jamie is special to me, and Tiso reminds me of one of my sisters; I couldn't possibly let them go out. As for Thomas and Vateen… I won't be able to control them, only protect. They're too stubborn to listen otherwise."

This time, Nastasha was truly impressed with the young man. If he took the time to think things over, then perhaps there was a reason he had become Neo-Australia at such a young age…

"If I could just find a way to separate all three of us and attack in three different locations, then just _maybe_…" Josh stood thinking, one hand supporting his chin as he thought.

"You could use Argo," Nastasha offered quietly, a sad tone in her voice that made Josh look slowly up at her.

"No," he told her. "Let Argo sleep. I certainly don't envy him, and he needs to catch up on sleep. He could… Could be backup, perhaps."

Nastasha sighed. "Just when I think that you may be different from the other children, you are still the same."

"You don't understand. If Argo doesn't sleep, the stress can hurt him. Also, we'll need his gundam to be with us when we infiltrate the base. It's a bad idea to throw out the best of weapons in the beginning. Since the Shuffle Alliance is far more experienced that we are, they are that weapon we will need.

Again with the logic… How could Nastasha argue with that? She stood painfully quiet as Josh thought.

**A/N:**** TO BE CONTINUED!! D:**


	9. The Rescue Team Heads to Earth

Nastasha woke early the next morning to find the children in the hallways. The children were already wondering the halls, gathering supplies for their journey with the help of the "knowledgeable" pirates. Of course, they truly _were_ knowledgeable, but only when it came to scams and what the best way to successfully complete a raid was. In everything else, well, they were simply trying to weasel some currency off of the young believers, in which that, too, was successful.

"Where's Josh," Vateen asked his young friends, who both shrugged. "Wasn't he supposed to come along?"

"Supposed to," Jamie answered. "He might have gotten sick… Maybe."

"Sick or not, it is very unlike him to miss something like this," Thomas murmured, stroking his chin with his fingers.

"Oh, look!" Jamie cried, getting closer to his face. "I think I see a whisker!"

Vateen rushed in to see the red-head's chin better. "Oh, yes. I think I can see one or two…"

Thomas touched his face, feeling for a whisker. "Really?" He looked so happy…

"No," Jamie laughed. "My mistake!"

Vateen cracked up beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they sank close together, laughing at the frowning prince. Thomas' "That was not funny!" only made them laugh harder.

"I see that you're up bright and early," Nastasha yawned, leaning on the doorway. She had been up late trying to contact their parents. It was only a matter of time, now. All she had to do was wait…

"Need to," Jamie grinned, Vateen beside her finally pushing her off of him. "We gotta get ready before we attack."

Nastasha frowned, pushing herself off of the wall gently. "And there is no way that I can convince you to reconsider this?" When they shook their heads, she sighed. "Where is Josh? Isn't he supposed to be with you?"

Jamie shrugged. "Dunno. He didn't show up today; at least not yet."

"I see," she mumbled. If Josh was not around, the other children could likely get themselves killed, but not if…

"Have the pirates helped you gather your things?"

Jamie nodded at her, leaning onto Thomas' shoulder. "Yeah. They charged a little for it—" she failed to see Nastasha twitch with irritation at that "—but they were really nice about it. Tiso got sick, so she won't be joining, and I can only guess that Josh got sick, too."

"Tiso is sick?" Nastasha asked, eying Jamie suspiciously. "You had better not be lying."

Jamie snorted. "C'mon, Nastasha. Why would I lie about that?" She took her arm back off of Thomas' shoulder, watching the older woman. "Don't you get it? We _wanted_ her to come along. Heck, she's the only other girl in our group!"

Nastasha's heart skipped a beat. She had to keep Jamie from going on that mission—she had a bad feeling about all of this. "Jamie, I need you to stay and help me."

"What?" Jamie grumbled. "That's what your pirates are for. I hafta go and do this. For our twerp—he woulda done it for us!" Thomas and Vateen both nodded in silent agreement.

"I could have stopped him that if he had tried to listen to me," Nastasha said, looking quite upset at the moment. "He loved to learn things, but only when it suited him. A wonderful tactician, but stubborn to the very end." She laughed bitterly.

"Nastasha," Jamie called gently. "I know what you're trying to do, but I can't let you talk us out of this. We have to do this, now. It's already gotten so far, and to give up now is just pointless. If Nicolas were in our place, he would have willingly gotten himself killed before he allowed our killers to go unpunished."

Nastasha angrily turned from them, glaring out into the hallway. "And that was why that child was killed—because he would not let go of things and let them be." She left quickly to avoid any comments from the children. She could not escape before they had seen her tremble from forcing back a sob.

"She doesn't understand," Jamie huffed, looking to the floor. "Let's go, now!"

Thomas looked at her with a shake of his head. "Jamie, how can you just leave like that? I would not have thought you so heartless…"

Jamie glared at him, causing him to back away. "Oh, be quiet! I feel bad, too, but if we don't leave now, she will have won."

Vateen stepped forward, turning back to Thomas. "I hate ta say it, but she's right. Let's go." He left, saying nothing more to the young man, Jamie close behind him.

"I do not believe this," Thomas sighed, following them out.

* * *

"Nastasha fooled us!" Jamie cried, trying to stop the pirate Nastasha had sent them from opening the door. "No stop!"

The pirate smiled crookedly, pulling his arm from her grasp. "Sorry, but Captain Nastasha told us to do this." He stepped forward, opening the door and moving to the side to allow an angry group of parents enter. Then he shut the door, attempting to help point out where their suits would need to go.

"You little bastard!" Jamie growled to the little man.

"Jamie Leigh!" Chibodee scolded, grabbing her arm. "Watch what you say to any of these guys. And we need to talk about this plot of yours."

"There's a door straight ahead that's a guest room. Captain Nastasha said that you could use it."

Chibodee took Jamie's arm, leading her off to another room, the other parents ahead of them. As they entered the room, the children exchanged glances and Jamie hissed, "you owe me!" With that, she slid her hand over the auto-shut button, closing the door and locking it from the outside. Vateen and Thomas watched as the parents turned, angry at the boys. Chibodee grabbed Jamie's arm again and began a lecture that the boys could not hear.

"Forgive me, Father," Thomas whispered, knowing that he could not hear, and then turned to walk away.

* * *

Nastasha found Josh asleep in the hallway on her way to her own room. With more than enough confidence in the other children's parents, she decided to leave them alone for now. Instead, she woke Josh, helping him to sit up in his foggy state.

"What happened, Josh? Did you pass out?" she asked, wondering if he truly was sick. She was tired, but her maternal instincts kicked in, filling her with a want to help him as she had been unable to do for Nicolas. She placed a hand on his head to feel if he was warm or not.

Josh, however, simply shook his head, climbing sleepily to his feet. "I got lost in the night and gave up on finding the guest rooms." He looked around him, seeing nothing that he even remembered. "I'm lost," he sighed. He staggered back when an almost deafening '_boom_' shook the ground around them. Both Josh and Nastasha looked out the nearest window to see the Assassin Gundam and the Attaque Gundam both heading out towards earth. Josh heard Nastasha curse quietly and turned to look at her.

"I see they have avoided their parents," she said, quite upset in the recent turn of events.

"Go," Josh told her. "I'll go after them. The original plan is now official—if we don't contact you by noon, wake up your husband and send in the others to help us if they can. I'll try to stop the boys from screwing up and getting themselves hurt." He started to turn, but stopped, turning back to Nastasha without much shame. "You'll have to lead me back to the door," he told her as if that sort of thing happened every day.

Nastasha sighed.

* * *

"Look, I only did what was right for my friends!" Jamie argued when they had all been released. Chibodee did not let go of her arm in fear that if he did, she, too, would run and he would lose her. She accepted this, but not happily. They had rushed to the communications room with Nastasha and sat waiting for some sort of message that the boys were alive. Only fifteen minutes until noon…

George paced nervously, talking to Maria-Louise in French and biting his lip. Their daughter, Fleur, had yet to be found on the damned ship, and their worry for Thomas was getting the better of both royals. As if that were not enough, Nastasha also had the pirates out searching for Eva, who had also gone missing in the last four hours. It was a nightmare. More so for Nastasha, who knew that if she kept herself worried like this her child could be born with severe problems.

"This is ridiculous," Domon grumbled, watching the screen intently. There's only a quarter of an hour left—we should just assume something is wrong and go in to save them. And even if they aren't hurt, we can save their lives if they are."

George released a long breath he kept seeming to unconsciously hold. "As worried for Thomas as I may be, I trust him to know what he is doing," he told them, and went back to pacing. It was only seconds of silence before he groaned, sinking into a chair to watch the screen. "Who am I trying to fool? I cannot find it in me to trust him after his earlier stunt…" Maria-Louise touched his shoulder to try and ease his worry, though truly, she was no better at the moment.

"I don't know what's going on, but we had better hurry and find out—I haven't seen Chen all day, and if I didn't know better, I'd say that he rushed out to get an early piece of the action. Believe me, I know him, too," Sai Saici said, clearly worried for his brother.

Thirteen minutes left.

Damn… Still no messages blinking on the screen. Nastasha was wearing herself out doing this. The door shut behind them, and each turned, hoping to see the children, but they knew it wouldn't be. And they were right: Argo stood staring in silent confusion at his former companions and his wife.

"What's going on?" he asked, turning to his wife. Nastasha looked so tired…

"Those boys ran off this morning. They have not sent any sign of whether or not they're alive." She told him harshly. Indeed she was angry, but it was not meant for him. She slumped her shoulders in guilt, but only for a second; he did not fail to notice.

Argo frowned at each of his worried friends, then reached back for the door again. "I will go get them."

"Not yet, you won't," Chibodee sighed, looking to Nastasha, who nodded.

"We will wait…" she looked to a clock, "ten more minutes. If they do not respond… Then we will send out the Shuffle Alliance." Argo did not look like he agreed, but Nastasha's look kept him. Instead, he crossed the room to have her sit in a chair. He needed to be the one worrying about this, not her.

Eight more minutes…

"I cannot take this," Maria-Louise moaned, burying her face into George's shoulder. He held her and tried to forget his own worries.

Seven more minutes…

"C'mon, c'mon… You kids are tougher 'en that," Chibodee said under his breath, setting his hand onto his little girl's head. She looked apologetically back at him, concerned for Thomas and their friends.

Six more minutes…

Nastasha wrung her hands together anxiously, watching for even a hint of a blink on the screen. Argo sat on the floor beside her chair, rubbing left arm comfortingly. This was wearing her down, and angering Argo all at once.

Bastien sat at Chibodee's side, his mother's fingers playing nervously through his hair. He tugged at his pants and tried to sit still for all of the tense adults.

Sai Saici watched Domon in silent thought and the King of Hearts watched him back. Both knew what they would have to do in just five more minutes…

The screen flickered, causing the room to jump and launch to the screen. In front of them, Josh's bleeding head floated in the air, watching something move in front of them. He grunted when his first try at speech was interrupted by a loud blast that immediately sent signals of red flaring up his right arm.

"Dammit! Stay down!" he cried drawing the blue energy in his hand across whatever was in front of him.

"Joshua Saben," Nastasha called out to the boy. "You're hurt. We should—"

"No! Stay outta this!" Josh growled, gasping as the signal shot up his gut. "They… They knew from the moment we started… We miscalculated their position."

"What of the others?!" George cried. "Please tell us that you are _all_ alive, Josh. _Please_!"

Josh backed up from whatever was in front of him. "We're alive," he told them. "But the little princess snuck away on Thomas' gundam—he's hurt pretty bad and his Attaque Gundam is completely busted."

Domon heaved a sigh when Vateen's face popped on the screen. "Hey, I can try to get Thomas back, but that'll leave Josh open to anything." He spat a curse and yellow energy shot out of his wrists as Assassin Gundam did its job on yet another unfortunate victim. "Damn! There's too many…"

Josh grunted, defending himself from an onslaught of attacks from the enemy.

"You can't really expect us ta stay back, do ya?" Chibodee hissed. "Now, look here; you kids are just bein' selfish!"

"You don't understand!" Vateen cried, hurling his wrists at another unseen enemy. His voice was cut off with a pained shriek, and the signals were sent all the way up his arms to the connecting shoulder. He went down on one knee, grabbing at his arm. Navigating his gundam around several more enemies (their silver armor could be seen in flashes while he dodged them). He stopped at one area, turning to face a small rocky island for only a second, then he turned back with a smirk.

"Josh," he said, chuckling at an unsaid thought, "I don't think we're gonna make this one."

Josh slashed at another gundam in front of him, baring his teeth in a silent growl. "We'll make it, dammit. Even if I hafta carry both o' ya back by myself. Aaargh!"

Vateen smirked at the other young man, shaking his head. "Optimistic bastard…" he grinned. His smirk faded into a feral smile as he got into a fighting position. "Here comes one now…" Using his other arm, he flicked his wrist, drawing out another hidden, yellow blade, and used it to behead an oncoming gundam. It didn't last, however, as he was clearly outnumbered. He let out a loud cry, his screen vanishing instantly.

"Vateen!" Domon shouted, and turned, rushing out the door.

Chibodee gripped Bastien's shoulders tightly, causing the boy to cringe. He released the boy, turning to Shirley, who was holding their sobbing daughter, and decided that right then was not the best time to lecture her again.

George rushed out of the room next, followed by Sai Saici, followed by Argo. With one last glance at his family, Chibodee was the last to dash out into his own gundam and to the earth to rescue the young men trapped in their battle.

**A/N:**** Yet another chapter. I liked writing this one. 'Course, it probably didn't help that I'm looking up specific parts of each episode to try and predict how each of the adults would act in their situation. And some that I just like… **


	10. Rescue

"Joshua," Nastasha called, watching the young man swing the energy out in front of him. "The Shuffle Alliance is on their way."

"No," Josh sighed, shaking his head to clear unwanted thoughts. He cried out at a small explosion in front of him inside the cockpit.

"Josh!" they cried, but he put his hands down once more, a little painfully.

"I'm alright," he told them, backing up. "I have to—"

"Keep the communication up," Nastasha ordered, though it was not mean to be an order. "We need to see you alive—do not talk if you cannot."

"Nastasha," he sighed. "You've been nothing but kind to me since we met, which is why I hafta tell you ta stay outta this. With all the respect drilled into me from my commanders, I gotta ask that you go lay down—" he grunted, knocking another gundam away from him, earning a new hole in his gundam suit "—go lay down and take a break. You're working too hard for your situation."

Nastasha was taken aback by the boy's request. "But, I… You know…?"

Josh knocked something away with his arm, which shot signals of agony through that arm. "Yeah," he told her gently. "Don't know if you knew or not, but the pirates told me. Whether or not they can or can't beat you in logic doesn't make them stupid; they knew."

"I… I see," she said quietly, earning surprised glances from the other women. Rain and Shirley took her by the shoulders, making her lay down on the couch. The other women crowded around the screen to watch Joshua battle it out.

"Josh," Maria-Louise asked quietly, "is my Thomas at least alive?"

Josh turned to look behind him, gasping when he was struck from behind. His hand flung to the side, and his hand opened up, the energy in his palm vanishing. From that point on, all he could do to stay alive was to block some attacks and take others.

"Josh," Nastasha cried, jumping up. She could not watch another child get hurt for her Nicolas. That and he had been like a brother to her Nicolas. He had been raised in an army as she had.

Josh grunted, his chest filling with the painful little marks, and his hands darted out to grab something. "Auuugh!" he cried, throwing it aside. "Stop messing _around_!" he gasped, even as his cockpit was ripped open by another.

"No--!" Nastasha screamed, losing herself despite the friendly hands trying to help her.

* * *

When the rescue team arrived for the children, they rushed to the aide of Nightmare Gundam, staggering back as they came close. It was Gundam Maxter and Bolt Gundam that caught Josh's own gundam. George rushed to help his own son, and Domon forced courage into his heart and left Vateen to George's care. Sai Saici followed Domon into the battle.

Argo and Chibodee drug the boy's gundam to the little island behind them, and Chibodee helped the boy stand a little while Argo got out of Bolt Gundam to pull the boy to the safety of the island. As soon as Josh's feet hit the ground, he could no longer stand. Argo had to carefully drag him the rest of the way.

"Josh," he called to the nearly unconscious boy. Josh's eyes fluttered, trying to wake up enough to see the man, but he had fought hard and needed his rest. His body was covered with wounds, but not very serious. He would be sore for the next few days…

"You fought well, Josh. Rest here a while," Argo told him, getting up. He did not feel comfortable leaving the kid there, but he would have to; and he did.

Josh fell into a silent slumber as he left, only to be awakened as George came back. He looked over to the man, startling when the bloody mass of white, red, and blue gundam suit in his arms did not move. But who…? Red hair, colorful gundam suit, and pale skin… Who could… Then it dawned on him. Thomas.

He struggled to sit, gasping as pain shot through his body. George came to him, kneeling in front of him and using the hand that was supporting his son's legs to gently push the other young man back down. "Stay down, Joshua. We have called for help; you will be fine."

"Thomas," Josh gasped, allowing himself to be pushed back down. "Thomas is…"

George shook his head sadly. "Just lay there. You are safe."

"He's… dead?"

George smiled sadly, refusing to let the boy find a chance to move. "No, but he is badly hurt."

Josh nodded. "Did he protect her?" At George's confusion, he added, "Fleur."

George nodded, setting Thomas out beside Josh. "He held her head in his lap and stayed awake up until the moment I came to take her."

"And where is…?" George motioned to his own gundam, where Fleur sat leaning against the thumb of Rose Gundam. "Good," he sighed before passing out again.

George sat watching the four children as they slept, Vateen not far from the other two boys.

* * *

"Where is Chen?" Sai Saici growled, hitting another gundam in the head with Dragon Gundam's staff. He searched the air around Domon, Chibodee, Argo, and himself as they fought. There was supposed to be medics arriving very soon. He would protect the medics until they were able to get the children out of there. "C'mon, you!" he cried, starting forward.

"You hurt my brother, and now you'll pay!" Domon's voice shouted. There was a crackling explosion overhead, and Bolt Gundam was forced to the side as the newly crushed military gundam was hurled into the ocean.

"Domon," Argo called, catching the Burning Gundam's foot. "You must calm down." He was speaking from experience, of course, but as calm as he was on the surface, he knew he was just being a hypocrite. In any case, Domon was their leader; he had to set the example and help to calm the others, as well.

"Let go, Argo," Domon growled, uselessly kicking his foot in an attempt to get away from the big man. And just like that, they were being attacked.

"Got you," one of the enemy gundams cackled, reaching out to demolish Argo's gundam.

"Stop it! I demand you," said a voice so familiar that Argo's blood began to boil with rage.

"Kier," he shouted out to the commanding gundam just ahead, "why did you do it? Why did you kill Nicolas?" His fists clenched tightly, his teeth bared in an angry snarl.

There was an incoherent mumbled from Kier, likely thinking out loud to himself, then a sharp, "Go home Argo. Nothing good will come of you being here."

"Kier," Argo shouted, doing his best to ignore, not only the rage, but a new saddening feeling that sprung tears to his eyes. Damn. "Answer me!"

"Go home, Argo," Kier told him again. "Come back when those four on the island heal, if you must. I hereby order all New Nations gundams back to the military base as ordered by my father." He turned then, heading back towards his home.

"Wait," Domon yelled, but his demand went unnoticed. He looked Argo, whose gundam shook with suppressed rage, but he stayed put, likely in case of a sneak attack that would try to wipe them out. "Argo," he murmured sympathetically, "it's alright."

There was a sound of helicopters, and the group was pleasantly surprised to see that the medic units had arrived. A young boy who looked to be about twelve stood out on the deck and watched the medics run on and off of the ship to bring each of the children to safety and medical help. By then, Josh was able to walk on his own, though he was still woozy from his earlier fight and the little nap he had just woke from.

After news arrived to the women that the children were safe, Nastasha was finally able to collapse on her bed with exhaustion. One arm covered her face as she slept, and the other sprung out to the side of the cream colored silk sheets. Shirley stood beside her until she had fallen asleep, Rain on her other side. When her breathing had became even, both women quietly exited.

* * *

Jamie sat off to the side with Bastien, occupying, not only herself, but her kid brother, as well. That day had been too stressful for both of them, and Jamie told herself that never again would she be dumb enough to do that. But she knew very well that she probably would do something like that again. Tiso, who had been sick all morning, had been gradually getting worse, but the news that Vateen, Thomas, Fleur, and Josh had been rescued brought some color back to her face. Still, there was the fact that Chen and Eva still could not be found that kept most of the group quiet and worried. They forgot to mention that part to Tiso…

**A/N:**** Yeah…. Done.**


	11. Recovery pt 1

It was a little over two days after the children and the Shuffle Alliance made it back to Argo's ship before Thomas de Sand woke up. George, Maria-Louise, and Fleur were at his side the entire time. Also during that time, Chen returned to be scolded by the adults for disappearing for as long as he did. He had nodded and taken a punishment from Sai Saici with such a calm and surprisingly not bored face (he had been forced to sit at Sai Saici's side and meditate while the others talked and recovered in some cases) all day long.

Nastasha had been focusing on getting Josh to full recovery, which he did not seem to mind all that much, but for those who knew him, he was feeling just a tad awkward that his dead friend's mother would treat him as her own. Then again, they were both somewhat army children, being raised (to some extent, seeing as Nastasha's story was different from his own) by the army. Still, he let her bandage him without a word, but his mind felt guilty as if he were trying to take the dead boy's place.

Tiso had been gradually recovering; she no longer needed constant attention. With the help of Vateen, she was able to walk around and talk to the adults. She had more sense than the others in opinion of the adults, especially after she informed them that she had been given a lot of time to think, and she just did not think that she could actually go through with finding and killing Kier. She felt that it would be doing the same thing that he had done to Nicolas, and in turn set Kier's family against them.

Eva had disappeared from the ship and still had not been found. Jamie had searched the gundams with Josh to see if she had done the same thing as Fleur, but there was not even a trace that she had been in them. It seemed that she had just vanished from the ship, as if she was never there. However, the pirates knew that she had been there, and two or three reported seeing her sometimes walk around at night, calling for someone who was not there.

The Shuffle Alliance (save George) all spoke with one another often in a room to themselves. More often than not, they would leave in different moods, and more often than not, Argo would go to the back looking depressed. The children would watch him leave for the back and wondered if there was anything they could do. They had a feeling that he would go back to Nicolas' room, which had been locked off to everyone else except for himself and Nastasha. Nastasha did not like to go into that room, because no matter how many times they cleaned that room, it would always be messy again the next day—and everything would be laid out the exact way it had the day Nicolas died. That and the door would sometimes fly open…

Josh took back his arm and moved it as soon as Nastasha finished wrapping his wounds. "Thanks," he said, nodding to her as he moved it around. He stopped when his arm when something popped in his chest, and looked to the other kids with his trademark bored look.

"Josh," Nastasha said quietly, looking at the boy's wounded shoulder, "why are you fighting for Nicolas? You told us when you came that you would not if it did not involve you."

Josh nodded. "And this does involve me. Whether or not I like the facts of this matter, he was one of my only friends. He died like little Emily Rose, and that I can't forgive. Not yet, anyway…"

Nastasha looked at him. "Who is… Was Emily Rose?"

Josh was quiet a long time before answering. "She was my baby sister. She was shot by a kid who hated her 'cause she had me. I never forgave that…" He sighed, getting up. "But that's done and over. It was years before I ran from the military." He held out a hand to help her up, which she gladly took.

"And they haven't found you? You are a Gundam Fighter, and yet…?"

Josh nodded. "That was part of my reason to become a Gundam Fighter. As long as I work for them, they can't charge me. They technically couldn't, really; I got rid o' the bar code on my neck," he told her softly, rubbing his own throat in thought. He pulled her up before he turned back to the other kids.

* * *

"Dammit, Kier!" A man yelled, slamming his fists on his desk. "You have drawn the attention of the Shuffle Alliance. The New Nations are now at risk!" he spat.

Kier nodded gently, bowing his head in regret. "Forgive me, Da. That was not part of the plan. "

"No, it wasn't," the man snarled, failing to see Kier's fists clench.

The older man was wearing a dark grey suit, very unusual for him and likely helping to stir his pissy mood. His silvering hair still had traces of brunette in his and his light brown eyes held the boy's own hazel eyes captive, demanding that he got some answers.

Kier clenched his jaw shut, some of his own brunette hair falling into his face when he looked down. "I ask that you forgive me," he grit out. He took a breath when the man laughed a cold, hard laugh.

"You are ruining this for us, Kier, and I don't like failure," the man told his son, clicking his ink pen on his desk. He turned back and forth in his chair thinking, one arm resting on the chair's arm and holding up his head. His legs were crossed men's style on his lap. "I didn't raise you to mess up."

Kier bowed his head further. "I understand, Da."

"If you understood," said a high, girlish voice in the back, "then you would stop drawing attention and just do as you are told.

"Eva," Kier growled. "Why are you here?"

"I asked her to come see me," the man told his son, reaching out to his little girl. He pulled her onto his lap and held her close to him.

"Aren't you a little old to be held, Eva," Kier snarled, earning glares from both father and daughter.

"You would do yourself some good to be quiet, be a good little boy, and cut the connection between yourself and the Shuffle Alliance," Eva retorted. "You are messing up this operation faster than you will be able to fix it. If you ruin all of my hard work, all that I have done for my daddy, I will personally see that you get what's coming to you, _brother_."

"Now, now, little Eva," her father cooed. "I don't want to hear you saying anything so nasty again, my little angel." He played with her hair, and she giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Kier, I am done with you for now. Go."

He did not have to be told twice.

* * *

Vateen laughed, grasping his sides as Jamie growled at him. "Shut up," she growled as he continued. "You tripped me; that wasn't fair!"

"Doesn't matter," Vateen gasped. "You lose." Both were out in gundams—Vateen with his own, and Jamie in her father's Gundam Maxter, the adults all close by to watch. "At least there's no ground to hit."

"Cheater," she growled, then laughed with him. "It _was_ pretty funny, I guess."

Vateen nodded, holding out a hand to help her up, his face wide with a grin. "Whoa!" he cried as she threw him.

It was Jamie's turn to grin. "Ha!" she grinned, backing away.

"Not gonna help me up?" Vateen asked her. He smirked when she shook her head.

"Not that stupid," she said simply, and waited for him to get up to start another round.

* * *

Josh sat next to Tiso, watching over her as Vateen had asked while he sparred with Jamie. None of the adults liked the idea of the children sparring in such states as they were, but they had been unable to convince them otherwise. Josh had decided that what he really needed was rest from all of the fighting and Nastasha had quickly praised him for such thoughts.

It was weird. All of his life, he had been alone, and now he had friends and people who cared for him; besides for his orphan brothers and sisters, of course. He did not know how to feel, but he did know that he would not let any more of them get hurt if he could help it. And if he could not…

He would not think about that.

"C'mon," he told Tiso gently, doing his best to pull her up without hurting her. She was one that he really had not gotten to know over the years; the only one, actually. He did_ not_ know her. "I'll take you to your room…"

Tiso nodded, and allowed him to lead her to her room. He was a caring person, even if he could not always show it. They would have to get to know one another…

**A/N:**** Okay, guys. I just realized something. I miscalculated ages. Since Nicolas was four years younger than the others, Argo was thirty-one when he was born and Nastasha was thirty. That means that during the story, Argo would be fifty, and Nastasha would be forty-nine. Being pregnant at that age combined with all the stress… I don't think that I'm going to have the baby survive because of the realistic facts. I did have plans, but they're screwed now. D:**

**Darn! Nicole and Nolan were awesome! And even if the first were born, then it would still be ruined because the other wouldn't be there. I might write another with them in it. Such is life. XD**

**But I think I just might have a new plan, now…MAYBE.**

**Enjoy! :)**


	12. Recovery pt 2

"Oh, Thomas!" Maria-Louise cried as her son opened his eyes. He looked weakly from his mother to his father, both adults paying immediate attention to him. Looking down, the young man spotted the blond little girl patiently waiting her turn to embrace him, though she could have done without the waiting part.

"Fleur," Thomas mumbled, holding out an arm for her. Their father stepped aside to let his daughter see the young man. Thomas embraced her, holding her tightly as she finally cried.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed into his chest. The jerking movements were painfully uncomfortable, but Thomas never let go of her. "I did not mean for you to get hurt."

Thomas nodded, understanding. "I know…" He took a breath as his sister pulled gently away. "It is alright… Fleur."

George stepped in, pulling the eleven year old girl back a little ways. "That is enough," he told both of them softly. "Thomas, you need rest."

Fleur wiped her eyes, looking hopefully at her brother. "May I… May I stay with you, brother?" she asked him.

Thomas nodded, watching her draw up a chair. He was still weak, but he was at least recovering from his close encounter. Fleur, he knew, would help his recovery by helping his parents provide love and care, two things that Thomas was in desperate need of in his current state.

* * *

Jamie hobbled back in cursing lightly at Vateen, a playful grin displayed on her face. Both were still in their gundam suits, laughing quietly as they playfully insulted one another after their friendly spar. Jamie's navy hair was still thrown up in a ponytail, making her look pretty and feminine, two things that she _hated_ to be called. That was why she did not take well to Chibodee's comment to her on the subject.

"You know," he told her with a small smile, hands on his hips as he looked down at the shorter girl. He tipped up Jamie's chin so that he could look straight at her, Vateen hurrying to put her arm down and move to stand beside his older brother. "You are very pretty when you put your hair up like that."

Jamie stared questioningly at him a minute, then scowled. "No, thanks. I don't believe it." She grabbed her dad's hand, pulling it away from her face with a smirk.

"No, really," Chibodee told her with a soft smile at her. "I mean it."

"Cut it out, daaad," she groaned as Vateen laughed. Domon gently smacked him upside the head, but he either did not notice or simply did not care.

Chibodee smiled at her, kissing her forehead before he left her alone to find Bastien. Jamie immediately took the chance and let her hair down, shaking her head to get it back the way she liked it: in her face and not behind her ears.

* * *

Josh sat with Nastasha and Argo, helping with some of the gundam repairs. Of course, he was very bad at anything mechanical, but he simply did as he was told and wound up not destroying everything. Nastasha gave him help in replacing wires now and then, but mostly that was Argo's job (he did not like his wife messing with them in fear that they would zap her).

"Don't put that there," Nastasha told him when he began inserting a wire into the gundam he was working on, "it will cut the energy levels and could put the pilot's life in danger."

He looked up at Attaque Gundam, then to Argo as the man came over, taking the wire from him and inserted it into another slot. It did not look hard, but _damn_…! There were so many cords to remember. Machinery had always been his _worst_ subject in the military; it was a wonder that they let him pilot Nightmare Gundam.

"Can you remember that?" Argo asked him calmly.

With a frustrated sigh, Josh shook his head. Standing, he replied, "Give me five minutes, and I'll have forgotten…"

* * *

"You're awake!" Jamie said, rushing into the room. She made it as far as getting to Thomas' side before Fleur kicked her in the shin. "Ouch!" she cried, hopping on one foot.

"Fleur," George scolded his little girl, grabbing her arms tenderly. "We do not hit—Or kick—" he said when she opened her mouth—" another person. If you cannot behave, I shall have to ask you to leave the room."

Fleur pouted, but did as she was told. "Do not try to kiss my brother on the face. He only loves me the most!" she huffed, crossing her arms. George sighed, holding his head, and Maria-Louise did her best to stifle a giggle. Both adults caught the attention of the little girl, but she did not change her mind.

"Um… Okay?" Jamie said, turning to Thomas, taking his hand into her. His eyes fluttered gently open and he smiled tenderly at her. "Are you feeling any better, Tom?" she asked.

He frowned at her. He hated being called Tom, often insisting that his name was Thomas, not Tom. "Yes," he answered, a little stronger than before. "I will be fine in about two days. I shall be able to move by then."

Jamie shook her head. "Fine, but the revenge mission is done for now, at least for you. I don't want to send you out before you're read, so rest up, 'kay?" She squeezed his hand, grinning at him—that grin that he was most used to, and usually wound up in a lot of trouble afterward. He grimaced. "I'll be waiting for you, but right now, I gotta go help Josh, Uncle Argo, and Nastasha."

Thomas nodded, letting his own hand drop onto the bed, and watched her leave the room, shutting the door behind her.

"I still do not like her," Fleur insisted with a little pout.

* * *

"I'm not havin' fun, Dad," Bastien groaned, his mother talking with the man while he just sat there. "I wanna play somethin'… Maybe… " he sighed. "I got nothin'…"

Shirley sighed after him. "You sure grew up to be like your father—that's not a good thing," she told the grinning little boy. "Jamie is already like your father; can't you be sensible?"

Chibodee choked on a breath. "What's that supposeta mean?" he asked defensively. Shirley smiled at their laughing son. At least he was entertained…

"Just like it sounds, O 'love-of-my-life.'"

"Hey," Chibodee pouted. "I'm not that bad, am I?" Bastien rested his head in his mother's lap, watching the scene play out before him; Shirley did not comment on her husband's question. "Aw, c'mon!"

Bastien laughed again, clutching his mother's pants in one hand in his laughter. He was really enjoying this.

* * *

Josh watched Argo fixing the gundams, doing his best to follow along. He was obviously a terrible mechanic, no matter how skilled a pilot he was. His fingers stumbled over chips and wires, and more than once had he shocked himself. The last one had startled a gasp out of him and the lights in the gundam flicker a moment. He had opened his eyes to a weird tingling feeling, and Nastasha calling his name, Argo, to his other side did not look very happy; he had done more damage to the gundam than he had helped.

"Go see Rain," he told the boy firmly. "Have her check up on you. Can you walk?"

Josh stood, stumbling slightly, but he refused help when Nastasha offered. "Stay. I appreciate the want to help me, but you would do more good with Argo. Besides," he mumbled, not covering the weariness in his voice. "I think I need to be alone."

"Josh," Nastasha tried to reason, "you got lost the last time you were alone."

Josh shook his head. "I can find my way. Thanks."

He left the two adults alone, then, starting his way back into the area he thought led to the front room. He was lost in no time.

**A/N:**** Horrible chapter of my love! XD I really do love this chapter for my own reasons, though I admit I could have done better, given more time. Eh. No sense in crying over spilled milk, huh? **

**Enjoy!**


	13. Reasons

It took several weeks for Thomas to heal completely. By then, the children were afraid that the New Nations had built more of an army to stop them. Vateen was not very happy, but nonetheless the children stayed with their parents as they were asked.

"I cannot do this," Argo told them when they had gathered, worried parents and all. "Kier is still a child." He looked away from them, closing his eyes in his own pained thoughts of Nicolas and the past; the past that he would never get back. Hell, that boy had been his whole life.

"Uncle Argo," Jamie cried, interrupting his thought process, "you can't just give up now!"

"Jamie," her mother scolded, stepping up beside her. "Stop it. Those are the same words that led to the boys getting hurt. "

Jamie shook her head. "No! It was our own weaknesses that got them hurt!" She pulled away from her mother's grip heatedly. "Nicolas was my friend, and if none of you will do anything about his killer, then I will!"

"But Jamie," Thomas said, startling as his own father's hand fell onto his shoulder. "S-sorry."

George nodded, pulling his son back a little ways. "Thomas will stay with me. I almost lost him during the last attack."

"Vateen isn't leaving either," Domon said, grabbing his brother by the collar. He ignored Vateen's protest, pushing him into a nearby chair.

"Not Chen," Sai Saici told them firmly.

"And there's no way in hell you're gonna go," Chibodee growled. "If anyone ever hurt you, I'd hafta beat 'em within an inch of their life!"

Jamie sighed, looking to Josh, who looked away from her. "I'll go," he told them, much to Nastasha's dismay.

"Joshua Saben," she cried, turning to the boy that had occupied her time for the last month. "You can't be serious!"

Joshua nodded. "It became personal when they fired at me."

Nastasha started to become frantic, desperate to save the lad who had become like a second son to her. "You fired at them first!" she argued, taking a step forward.

"I didn't fire at them," he told her calmly, semi-turning so that his front was facing her. "When it comes to that argument, Vateen fired first; I hadn't even got there yet. Thomas was already engaged in battle by that time, as well."

Thomas nodded slowly, a look of guilt on his face. "What he says is true," he said softly.

George sighed, placing a hand on his son's head. "What has gotten into you? I would have expected this of the Neo-Americans, but not a noble prince such as you. Why would you fly into battle without thinking first?"

Thomas' face became dark with something nobody had ever seen in him before; never before had Thomas been able to hate another being. "The New Nations Army tried to harm my precious little sister in order to stop me. That I cannot forgive."

"Yeah," Vateen said, his face twisted in rage. "And Nicolas. He was my friend; no matter what, I'll find a way to hit those bastards ten times harder!"

"Then you'll need me," Chen said quietly, wringing his hands together. "I found a way into the base."

**A/N:**** I wanted to leave this here. Now that I can log in again, I can start writing again. Short, but then there's something else I wanna write before I get off.**


	14. Into the Final Battle!

It didn't matter. The adults were pissed, but it didn't matter; the children had gathered their trust and completely destroyed it, leaving for earth again while the adults had slept. Argo grumbled irritably about locking the children inside their rooms so that they couldn't pull that again. Even Jamie—_Jamie_; his precious "niece"—had left with the group. The only person who had remained had been Tiso, who was sick.

"Damn kids," Chibodee growled, sighing as he discovered Maxter Gundam had gone missing. The only other abnormality was the flowers placed lovingly around Czar Gundam's feet. A letter was placed neatly on top of the adorning flowers. "Why'd they go this far…?"

He snatched the letter from the flowers, handing it to Argo, who opened the letter carefully. Scanning the page, he held his breath, gripping the paper tightly. "'I realize that you will be disappointed in me, but I can't just sit around waiting for some force of nature to take out this villain. You may be scare, but I'm not.' What is that girl thinking?!" He took a breath, reading further down the page. "'As for Nicolas, may his soul rest in peace. We will see each other soon'? Are they planning suicide?!"

"Oh, god!"

Chibodee, George, and Domon dashed out the door quickly, determined to reach the children and save them again. However, Sai Saici stopped at the door, waiting for the fear-struck Argo as he set the letter down, then started toward the door.

"Come on, big guy," he said affectionately with a pat on the back. He turned back once to look at Nicolas' gundam, shaking his head, then followed the others out to the Gundam Deck.

* * *

"We're in," Chen informed the group as they walked through a rather large door that Josh had pried open. They all flooded in noisily, attracting the guards nearby.

Josh sighed. "So much for our silent infiltration," he groaned, punching a guard in the face. Two dropped to each of his legs, grasping so that he could not move. More came after him and he knocked several back with quick blows. Another came running, grinning at Josh until he was lifted above the young man's head and thrown behind. Josh fell back as the man sailed over his head, grunting.

"Hang on, Josh," Vateen gasped, punching a man and shoving him to his feet. He walked briskly over to the struggling young man, kicking one of the guards in the head, then helping jerk the other from Josh's body. The guard man crumpled on the floor for no apparent reason and stayed that way.

"'Bout time," Josh panted. "Sorry, " he said to the guard on the floor in front of him, kicking him in the head. "I can't have ya running off and giving us away just yet. Not that we're very secret now, anyway." He looked up as many more guards ran in.

"Oh, man," Jamie mumbled with a heartfelt sigh. "This isn't good. We're in a load o' trouble now!"

"Tch! We've had worse, Ms. Crocket," Josh grinned.

Jamie grinned back at him, her trouble grin, and looked back to her enemies. "Yeah."

"No time," Chen sighed, pulling his pole back off of his back. "Fight." He thrust several times, sending the man fighting him sprawling onto his back. Swinging at the air above one man, he caught him soundly in the head as the man tried to stand again.

Vateen was having the same luck with his fists. "Remember not to kill them. It's Kier that we want!"

Jamie cried out, using her dad's boxing technique to knock one out. "Yeah. I've got plenty o' bones ta pick with him!"

"Just be careful and don't die before then, " Josh grumbled, grabbing the arm of another that tried to assault her from behind.

Jamie nodded at him, wiping sweat from her brow. "'Kay! Thanks…"

"This will not work. At this rate," Thomas gasp, grasping his sword arm, "we will perish."

"Too stubborn to die," Josh grunted, swinging at another man. "Split up. One strong; one weak. "

"Right!"

At that, Jamie darted off, closely followed by Vateen, Josh stayed to fight off the oncoming guards, and Chen followed Thomas down another narrow hallway. Each had the same thought on their minds as they fought for their fallen friend: they could not die until Nicolas' untimely death was avenged.

* * *

"I can't believe this," Chibodee gasped, watching Argo run passed the unconscious men to help Josh stand. The boy was fine except a few scratches, but he was tired and needed to rest. The man paid no attention as the sounds of the pirates and the women came up behind him.

"Josh, why did you—" Argo started, but Josh shook his head.

"Not now," the young man panted. "I'll explain later… Now we gotta help the others."

"Where are the others," Sai Saici asked, proud of himself for not sounding angry.

"Went ahead. We split up."

"What?" Sai Saici cried, watching Josh point to two different hallways. He ran off in one direction with Chibodee, Domon, and George on his heels. Argo let go of Josh, each going opposite ways: Argo with his crew and wife, Josh with the other Shuffle Alliance members.

* * *

Argo found only more unconscious men down the hall he had chosen to follow, meaning only that the children had to have gone that way. At least some of them. He stopped, turning, as the clicking of steps came closer to him.

"Argo," the sickly voice with a Scottish accent hung high in the air, causing Argo's stomach to lurch.

"Kier," Argo regretfully acknowledged. "You were the last person I wanted to see."

Kier nodded. "To be expected. I apologize to what happened to your son—" his eyes dimmed—"but he got what he asked for."

Argo's eyes lit in rage, restraint surfaced only when Nastasha roughly placed an arm in front of his stomach to keep him from killing the lad. Kier was pissing the mourning father off; Nastasha and their pirates knew this. If he didn't shut up soon, Nastasha was afraid that the man would hurt him. That would _not_ be good…

* * *

**A/N:**** Okay. FINALLY! I had time for a new chapter!**

**Anyway… Cliff hanger for a reason. We're getting into the final chapters now! Enjoy. **

**I'll try to see to finding time to type more up tomorrow…**

_**Songs used for this chapter: **_

"**Final Battle Demon Vesper" Zwei!!**

"**Finish the Promise" Tales of the abyss**


	15. Heaven or Hell

The children ran faster, realizing that they were approaching the New Nations main office where Kier and his father would be. They were finally going to be able to see Nicolas avenged. Jamie pushed herself harder than the others, since Nicolas had been her "cousin," and the others had struggled to keep up. With her head down in a threatening scowl, she threw the door open.

"Kier—!" she shouted, but she stopped when she spotted Eva in her father's chair. "Eva, what are you doing here? Uncle Argo an' Nastasha have been lookin' all over for you!"

Eva looked up at her, smiling sweetly as she stood, spinning the chair beside her. "Father sent some people to pick me up. Oh, but," she said dramatically, placing a finger delicately on her mouth, "you didn't know?"

Eva was dressed in dark red, a crazed look in her eyes as she watched the other children. She had a red bow that tied her hair back, her dress was old fashioned, and black dress shoes to go with it. Her light brown hair was ratty and parts fell from her bow.

"I know you've come for my brother," she announced venomously.

"Eva," Jamie tried, stepping closer to the little girl, her breathing finally slowed, "I know that you want what's best for your big brother 'n all, but this is serious! He killed our friend."

Eva nodded. "Of course he did." Chen looked to Vateen in silent question, both worried about the little girl's behavior.

"Look, Eva—"

"No, you look," she growled, grasping the edge of her father's desk. "My father has many men to protect him. All I have to do is press this button—" her fingers hovered over the button in question—"and my father and his men will come running."

* * *

"Kier," Argo growled at the sixteen year old boy in front of him, "stop this senseless teasing before you get yourself killed."

"Who's teasing?" Kier demanded, looking at the crew behind the man—even one woman in the front. "I simply stated a fact of the matter."

"Dammit, Kier!" Argo started to step forward. However, his wife stepped partially in front of him, keeping him from reaching the boy unless he wanted to hurt her as well.

"Don't run around poking your noses into pure assumptions on matters that don't concern you!" Kier yelled, insensitive to how the parents felt.

"This does concern us," Nastasha told him firmly. "Nicolas was our son, Kier."

"I know that," Kier told them in a soft voice. He paced in a small line for a moment, looking not at all concerned about the parents and their crew. "So you came here with a large group of people to kill me, I am guessing?"

Argo shook his head, still glaring at the boy. "No matter the loss I have suffered at your hands, Kier, you are still a child. I cannot kill you, or I would be no better than a murderer."

Kier laughed heartlessly. "Your son was killed, and yet you would not indulge in your revenge? What a shameful father you are."

Argo growled, being stopped once again by Nastasha's firm will. She would not let him kill a teen. Perhaps, if they could convince him to turn himself in, Kier would realize his mistakes and change for the better. If they could somehow show him the pain they had felt without hurting him…

"Shameful, perhaps," Argo grit out painfully, "but I loved that boy. If loving him was shameful, then I'll bear that shame for the remainder of my life."

Kier watched him thoughtfully for a few minutes, watching as Nastasha tried to pull the angry man away from the boy, almost succeeding when he sighed, taking a step closer to the large group of adults. "Don't deny it," he told the big man, watching the glowering blue eyes focus on him once more, "you have always loved your wife more than your son. Losing Nicolas was no real loss with Nastasha at your side."

"That is not true, " Argo roared, feeling the burning anger light in his gut once more. "It has _never_ been true. I loved my son."

"Kier," Nastasha said, shaking her head in disappointment, "you are better than this. Stop it."

"I am?" Kier asked, raising an eyebrow in mock confusion. "Up until now, you have been accusing me of killing Nicolas, and now I'm better than this?"

"Accusing?" one pirate—Adan—snarled. "You did it! You ev'n left a trail o' blood on th' floor!"

Kier nodded. "I did leave the blood, I guess."

"I dun like you, an' I never did," Adan drew a gun from his vest, stepping into position, and shot. He growled at Argo when the giant grabbed him by the shirt hoisting him off of the ground.

"Why did you shoot him?" Argo demanded, pissed at the man. He had not ordered anyone shoot from his crew.

"I did it fer Nicolas," Adan growled, struggling weakly when the rest of the crew turned on him as well, taking the gun from him. "You wouldn' do it! Not ev'n this bastard, who killed yer boy, was enuff ta get yer revenge!"

Argo dropped Adan, starting toward Kier, who was breathing with effort, the sputtering gasps cutting the giant deeply. Whether or not Kier killed Nicolas meant nothing; he was still just a child. He stopped about a foot from the young man, bending as far as he could to see what he could of the wound.

"Don't bother," Kier mumbled, choking on his breath. "This is what you wanted."

"No," Argo said gravely. "This is far from what I wanted—I only came to snatch the children from danger." His face twisted sadly and the big man looked away. "I never intended for a child like you to die here, like this."

"Argo," Kier gasped, looking at the man with already glazing eyes, dark red goo slowly inched down his neck, "I would follow your son to heaven or hell."

Argo stared at the young man, unsure of how to act. Before he could respond, the last signs of life fled the young man, allowing him only the floor to gaze at in his eternal slumber.

Argo cursed, bowing his head in defeat. He hadn't wanted this! Why was it that so much hate filled the hearts of children? And just what had he meant…?

* * *

"Eva," Jamie began, knowing that the little girl only wanted to protect her big brother. Still, she had to try, "where is Kier?"

Eva laughed. "Where? I'll tell you. You've gone the wrong way. Where the one hall split you should have gone right. There you would have wound up in a hall filled with doors. That's where my brother is sleeping. Of course, if you come around, you still would find yourself here."

Jamie looked at the little girl with slight curiosity. "Just like that? You'll give us the information just like that and let us kill your brother?" There was a nagging feeling in the children's guts that told them something wasn't right. It was impossible to shake away at this point.

"Yes. He is what you want, right? Well, go get him."

"Eva," Chen started, hooking his pole onto his back again, "Why are you acting like this? Did you fight with Kier?"

Eva laughed again. "No. Kier is an idiot. He was always quiet when he needed to speak up, and any advice was only turned down. It's no wonder he needed so much attention."

"Eva!" Thomas and Vateen said together.

"But… You loved him, Eva," Jamie told her, shocked at the little girl's trash talking her brother. "You love him… Right?"

Eva sat in her father's chair once more, smiling at them in such a way that chilled them to the bone. "No. Why would I? Father pampered him more than he should have. If I had been given a choice in the matter, I'd have had him whipped."

"I can't believe what you're saying, Eva," Thomas said sadly. "However, I am sorry, but defending your brother by playing 'evil' will not change our minds."

Eva shrugged, twisting in her father's chair. "Fine. Do what you will."

* * *

Argo shut Kier's eyes, laying him flat on the floor. He wouldn't give the lad a proper burial, that would place him on the top suspect list to bring the body of a dead child of no relation to him to be buried, but he would lay him out so that he could rest in peace until someone who could found and had him buried. Seeing a boy die so young had always been sad to him, but Argo felt an unusual sadness within him as he got up to leave, one sentence filling his mind completely:

'_I would follow your son to heaven or hell.'

* * *

  
_

There it was! Just a little further until the adults could stop the children from making the biggest mistake of their lives. Chibodee dashed ahead, afraid of what Jamie was capable of in a state of anger.

"Careful," Josh grunted with effort, forcing his breathing to regulate according to his pace. "Who knows what these guys got up their sleeves."

"Yeah," Sai Saici panted, moving aside so that Domon could dash into the room just behind Chibodee, who had already grabbed Jamie in an effort to stop her.

"Stop it, Jam!" Chibodee cried, gently shaking his daughter. "Think about what you're doin'!"

"I have," Jamie argued, looking at her father with a set expression. "An' I decided the same thing: I'll get Kier for what he did to Nicolas!"

Chibodee shook her again, not even bothering to hide an expression mixed with fear and sadness. "I can't let you do that, Jam! You'll get yourself killed. I don't wanna lose you." Shirley walked up behind her daughter, hugging her closely.

"All of this in front of poor little Eva," Shirley said softly, looking at the little girl. The other adults, who were standing in the doorway, looked to her as well, stopping at the jealous look in her eyes.

"I hate you," she informed them grudgingly.

* * *

**A/N:**** Yet another chapter! Whew…. Got the notes for the last three chapters done (or last two I should say), so I can mark off chapter 15.**

**Stay tuned for the last two chapters! XD**

**Enjoy!**


	16. Consequences

That was it. That was the door. Argo and the crew dashed through the door, stopping when the children came into view, their parents with their arms around them.

"Stop this," Argo tried, looking to Jamie whom he knew to be the leader of this new plot.

Jamie looked back at him with a surprised look. "Uncle Argo," she said quietly. She looked more determined than ever to complete her mission. "I'm sorry, Uncle Argo, but I just couldn't stand watching Kier runnin' around alive while Nick was dead."

Argo watched her sternly. "Kier is dead," he told her, walking up and taking her arm. "Now, we must—"

"Dead?" Eva asked, eyes growing wide. "My older brother is dead?"

Argo watched her tenderly, saddened that such a young girl had to hear news like that. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't apologize, please," she grinned, jumping up from her father's desk. "Oh, happy day!" she cried, spinning in circles.

Argo stared at her in horror. "Happy day? Your brother is dead, Eva."

Eva nodded, still spinning. "Oh, yes. I know. But that only means that I am father's favorite, now. I can have Kier's room.

"You see," Eva explained, stopping the twirling to breathlessly sit on the edge of her father's desk. "My mother was only a replacement for the wife that father had lost: Kier's mother. Father loved Galina more than anything, but she died when Kier was born, and father still mourns for that witch. She made him stop being mean to people and was strict with him like his parents. Only father didn't drive her insane because he loved her.

"Galina's parents didn't want him at her funeral, so they kicked him out and made him take Kier with him, and father would have hated Kier if Galina hadn't lived a little longer; long enough to kiss him and tell father to always take care of Kier. If it hadn't been for that, Kier would have been sent to an orphanage far, far away, and I would be an only child. Now that Kier's dead, I can be father's one and only child, and he'll have to love me!

"Not only that," the little girl grinned, looking to Nastasha, who watched back in complete horror, "Kier's blood being left on your ship may have been an accident, but it worked all the same. "

"What are you saying?" Jamie asked the young girl. "You… You were only trying to protect your brother…"

"Don't be stupid," the little girl snorted. "I knew that if Nicolas, the son of two pirates who led a tragic life, revenge would be a very probable outcome; if I could kill Nicolas and make it look like my brother did it, then I wouldn't have to worry about being hunted down myself, but that Kier, the boy who was saved by the compassionate pirate captain, would be hunted and killed instead.

"Kier tried to repay his debt to Argo by jumping in front of Nicolas. I was able to push him aside and shot Nicolas, but Kier lost his balance and cut himself on the dagger that I had been using to 'defend' myself as a pirate."

Argo was trembling, but he really could not attack a little girl. No matter what, he was completely against hitting any women or little girls. "Then, you mean to say that Kier was innocent all along?" he breathed. That meant that an innocent young man had died. He glanced back at Adan, who had long since paled, realizing the same thing. "You got your own brother killed, Eva. Why would you do something like that?"

"It was simple," she said, grinning wider, that crazed look appearing in her eyes again. "I wanted to be loved more by father, and now I will have that love. Having Kier killed worked much better than I thought it would."

The sound of papers behind them drew their attention from Eva. There, in the doorway, stood a man who looked like Kier, though his hair was graying. He wore a dark gray suit. Staring at Eva, his eyes disbelieving, he watched as she ran across the room, howling. "Eva," she said, his voice strained with emotion.

"Daddy," she sobbed, "these people are evil! I don't like them." She buried her face into her father's side, missing the look that the man gave the large group of people in his office.

"Wh-what," he started, "the _hell_… is going on here?" he demanded, watching them with a harsh look in his eyes. Waves of emotion crashed through them, from disbelief, to confusion, to anger, and then to immense sorrow.

"Daddy," Eva cried, looking at him with feigned innocence, "These people killed Kier! They _killed_ him, father!"

Eva's father looked up at them in rage. "You bastards," he grit out, prying his daughter from him in order to go after the group. His fists clenched repeatedly at his sides. "You killed my boy!"

"Do you really believe that?" Jamie cried, watching the man. Again, disbelief welled up in his eyes for only a split second.

"What am I supposed to believe?" he growled. "Even if she did happen to be lying, it's my daughter versus strangers."

Jamie was silent this time, knowing that the man was right. Her father would do the same thing for her and Bastien. She watched the man with pity.

"After what you have heard, you would protect a criminal?" Chen said, coming up from behind the adults to stand beside Jamie. Sweat still plastered his dark hair to his face from his fighting.

The man thought a moment, before he nodded. "I may not have heard the entire thing. Eva loved Kier, and Kier adored Eva." He was desperate now, trying to find anything to prove his remaining child's innocence.

"Why would I lie to you, father?" Eva smiled at him. "I did it so that you could spend more time with me." Eva watched her father turn from her, unable to look at his child.

"There… There must be some mistake…" he tried.

Jamie shook her head, growling as she reached behind her, taking the first weapon she could find: the gun used to kill Kier.

"No!" Argo cried, reaching to stop her. With one swift movement Jamie was able to dodge the man.

"Plans have changed! I won't allow you to live when Nicolas and Kier cannot!" she pointed the gun, ready to fire when Eva's father stepped in the way.

"Lord Evan!" voices shouted from down the halls.

"Stop!" Evan cried, blocking what he could of his daughter's body, his arms stretched to his sides. He closed his eyes waiting for the inevitable pain, but none came. He opened his eyes, Eva still screaming behind him, and caught Jamie in her hesitation.

"Move," she demanded, even as Argo tried to force her arms down. She continued to avoid him as he shouted at her. If he caught her, revenge would only be a dream. Her mother and father's yelling didn't help at all.

"No," Evan told her, forcing himself to breathe. He was scared, but never would he allow himself to run and leave Eva to die. "I can't."

"You would let her get away with this?" she said in a low voice. "You would let your daughter murder another person and get away with it?"

"No," Evan said again. "I just can't watch my only remaining child die! She's my daughter, for God's sake!" He shook his head, gather his resolve. "Please. I'll have her put into prison instead."

"What?" Eva glared at her father. "You traitor!"

Evan shook his head, ignoring her, instead focusing only on the large group of people. "I can't watch her die."

"Jamie!" both Argo and her father cried, and she lowered the gun, allowing them to catch her, nodding. Argo was quick to take the gun from her, having no real difficulties when she let go for him. Her father took her into his arms mumbling threats of her getting in trouble that ultimately meant nothing at the moment. He was only terrified for her.

"'Kay," Jamie mumbled. "I'll do my best to let you take care of this situation," she told Evan, who nodded at her.

He sighed deeply. "Thank you, young lady." He dropped his hands, turning to the men at his door. "Take her," he told them, pressing back emotion.

"Daddy!" Eva howled as they pulled her roughly from the room. "Daddy, I will never forgive you!"

He turned back to the crew. "Now," he said, looking over the group, his eyes stopping on Argo. "no matter how this started, you still killed my son. Men…"

"Stop," Adan said, moving out from the crowd. He held out his hands. "I shot Kier Barclay." He held his hands out to the men.

"Captain's orders, no doubt," Evan guessed, his eyes still on Argo.

"No," Argo started. His eyes darted to Nastasha, exchanging a look with her that knew that he would be arrested if they didn't make Evan believe.

"That ain't true," Adan insisted. "Cap'n Argo was very angry with me. If ya dun believe, watch. I know ya have cam'ras."

Evan didn't argue. Instead he went into a nearby room having his men watch the group while he was gone. Several minutes passed before he came back out, his eyes red and puffy. The energy seemed to have been drained from his body, but he nodded anyway. "Take that man." He motioned to Adan, going to his chair. "The others are free to go. I don't care anymore, just leave."

The men took Adan and the group slowly filed out the door. Chibodee and Shirley waited at the door when Jamie stopped, turning to the man, Argo behind her stepping up beside her as she did so.

"I'm sorry," she told him. "I always get too worked up over things."

The man did nothing, just sat there with his hands covering his face.

Argo gently nudged Jamie toward the door, and she obeyed his silent command without a word. She was learning as best she could.

"Argo, correct?" Evan called from his desk without looking up. Argo halted once more to look at Evan. "I'm sorry for your son, but I must ask that I never see you again."

Argo nodded, turning back to guide Jamie to her parents. She was pulled out by both, Argo behind them as they all left the halls, and then the building.

"Jamie Leigh Crocket," her father said, still upset about earlier. "When we get home—"

"Leave her be, Chibodee," Shirley said lightly, rubbing her daughter's slouched shoulders. "I think she's suffered enough for now. Let's just forget this."

Jamie nodded, staring at the floor as she walked. After a while, she nearly whispered, "I'm sorry, mom, dad, Uncle Argo. You were completely right. This should have been left to adults and not in the hands of children."

All three adults nodded, Shirley adding, "Forget it," gently at the end.

And they did. Or rather, they never spoke of it…

* * *

When they had all made it back to Argo's spaceship, the children all almost immediately passed out wherever they could find, exhaustion finally having got the better of them. The adults were able to sit around talking quietly, but silence mostly rang through the ship. The motors were the only sound on the ship, and even they were just a faint buzz in their ears.

"We had better get some rest," Argo said finally, watching the children. The adults, perhaps, had more strength from their full night's sleep, but the adrenaline of the day had worn them all out. "We have guest rooms in the back."

* * *

**A/N: This is the final actual chapter of G Gundam Generations. The Epilogue is the final part of this drawn out story. **

**Please read and review!**

**Enjoy! **


	17. Epilogue

It was almost three weeks after Eva had been pulled off to prison for murder and Adan with her. Life had gone back to being as normal as it possibly before Nicolas had died. Jamie proved to be the constant company that Argo needed to get over Nicolas. She enjoyed his company as much as he loved hers.

"I still don't understand," Vateen said off of subject from the conversation Jamie had started with Argo. Jamie grinned. "Why?" Vateen asked.

Jamie shrugged. "Wouldn't you like to know?."

Vateen watched her for a moment. "Aw, come on, Jamie!"

Jamie shrugged again. "It's for me to know, and you to find out!"

Vateen watched her several moments longer before he made a sound in the back of his throat, getting up. "Thomas was lookin' for ya." He walked away from the two.

Jamie looked to Argo, who quickly made the excuse he had to check on Nastasha and left, before she got up to go find Thomas. She would have to hurt that man. "Thomas," she called, opening the door to the sitting area of the overly large ship.

Thomas looked up from his younger sister in front of him. "Ah, Jamie!" he cried, standing immediately. "I… I… You…"

"Hey!" Fleur cried, tugging on her brother's pant leg. "You were not yet finished with your story!" George and Maria-Louise seated across from them watched with amusement.

"A-ah, yes. Forgive me, Fleur, but…" He looked back to Jamie, turning a deep shade of red. "Sh-shall we?" he asked her, holding out his arm.

Fleur pouted, but she let her brother go… This time…

"I, um," he started, unable to finish his sentence. "W-well, Vateen informed me that you told my younger sister that… That… Well, that I love you, which has sent her into frequent fits. I must ask that you never—" he stopped, looking to her when she halted in her walking. "Jamie?"

"I'll pound that man," she grumbled, glaring at Thomas, who hadn't actually done anything. "I never told your sister anything like that!" She, too, was now bright red… Or as red as her face would go.

Thomas watched her, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Oh, I see…" he sighed. "So Vateen told her that, huh?"

"He always did have a knack for starting things," she grumbled.

"Agreed," Thomas nodded. "Jamie, I am leaving in a while, and I wondered if you wouldn't come to visit me in Neo-France…?" he said tenderly, unwilling to touch on a subject that she would enjoy beating him for.

Jamie smirked, crossing her arms. "I don't know. We'll just hafta see, hm?" She grinned broadly at his awkward nod; he was trying so hard. "'Course dad'll hafta come with me." This time, she watched as he paled.

"Oh."

She laughed. "Well, go on, dummy!" she smirked, tousling his hair, though he was much taller than she was. She turned before she saw his reaction, and saw two figures in the distance spying. Oh, yes, she would get Vateen back.

She punched out as she passed the two figures, hitting one in the face, the other moving. She should have known: Vateen and Chen. Vateen up to no good again, dragging Chen into trouble since Tiso was just recovering. Chen just watched the young man hit the floor, walking off without much interest in the matter.

The families began leaving one by one: Vateen going back to Neo-Japan with Domon and Rain, Thomas getting drug back to Neo-France by his very energetic sister, Tiso and Chen leaving with Sai Saici, and Josh taking Nightmare Gundam back to Neo-Australia.

Pretty soon, the only families left were the Gulskiis, who lived there, and the Crockets. Jamie, who had fallen asleep on the couch, looked comfortable with her head pillowed on 'Aunt' Nastasha's lap, and Nastasha receiving the comfort of holding a child again.

"We'll leave her for now," Shirley was telling Argo after gaining his permission, much to Chibodee's dismay. "She could use a break from home. Besides, she adores you, Argo."

"Now, Shirl, I don't think this is a good idea," Chibodee was saying as his wife pulled him from the spaceship, Bastien following both of his parents out.

She ignored him, of course.

* * *

Jamie slept soundly for almost an hour before she woke up to Argo's heavy boots leaving the room. Looking up to Nastasha, she blinked at the cover of a book that she would probably find boring herself, but Nastasha seemed to be having a good enough time with it. It was all about politics... Yuck!

"Welcome back to the land of the living," Nastasha smiled tiredly, looking around the book to the young woman.

Jamie grinned sheepishly. "Didn't mean ta sleep," she said, sitting up.

"That's alright," Nastasha told her as she got up to stretch. "Your parents left. You will stay with Argo and I for a while."

Jamie perked up immediately. "Really?!" she asked, jumping up. "This is great!"

Nastasha chuckled, sitting back down to read her book. She crossed her legs comfortably, starting on the next chapter of the book. She unconsciously played with her hair as she read, catching Jamie's attention.

"Nastasha," Jamie started, grinning at the woman as she looked up from her book, "if you aren't a soldier-lady anymore, why're ya readin' that book? It must be really boring."

Nastasha frowned at the girl. She was starting to wake up in one of her annoying moods; one of those moods where she would tease Nastasha until she found something else to amuse her. Wait! That was it.

"I believe Argo is in his chair if you would like to see him," she said, going back to her reading. To her relief, Jamie took the bait and ran out to find Argo.

* * *

Argo was in his chair, just like Nastasha had guessed. He looked up as she approached, smiling at her. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yeah." She stood beside his chair, grinning at him. "And now you're stuck with me for a while."

Argo faked a groan, smiled, then ruffled her hair. "You aren't going to chase me out of my own home are you?" he teased.

Jamie smirked. "I'll_ try_ not to," she informed him with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

This was going to be one long summer for Argo and Nastasha, but Argo smiled anyway.

* * *

**A/N:**** Done. For now, at least. I may read it tomorrow and decide to add on.**


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